22 U.S.C. § 613

Exemptions

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The requirements of section 612(a) of this title shall not apply to the following agents of foreign principals:(a) Diplomatic or consular officers

A duly accredited diplomatic or consular officer of a foreign government who is so recognized by the Department of State, while said officer is engaged exclusively in activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such officer;

(b) Officials of foreign government

Any official of a foreign government, if such government is recognized by the United States, who is not a public-relations counsel, publicity agent, information-service employee, or a citizen of the United States, whose name and status and the character of whose duties as such official are of public record in the Department of State, while said official is engaged exclusively in activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such official;

(c) Staff members of diplomatic or consular officers

Any member of the staff of, or any person employed by, a duly accredited diplomatic or consular officer of a foreign government who is so recognized by the Department of State, other than a public-relations counsel, publicity agent, or information-service employee, whose name and status and the character of whose duties as such member or employee are of public record in the Department of State, while said member or employee is engaged exclusively in the performance of activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such member or employee;

(d) Private and nonpolitical activities; solicitation of funds

Any person engaging or agreeing to engage only (1) in private and nonpolitical activities in furtherance of the bona fide trade or commerce of such foreign principal; or (2) in other activities not serving predominantly a foreign interest; or (3) in the soliciting or collecting of funds and contributions within the United States to be used only for medical aid and assistance, or for food and clothing to relieve human suffering, if such solicitation or collection of funds and contributions is in accordance with and subject to the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 9 of this title, and such rules and regulations as may be prescribed thereunder;

(e) Religious, scholastic, or scientific pursuits

Any person engaging or agreeing to engage only in activities in furtherance of bona fide religious, scholastic, academic, or scientific pursuits or of the fine arts;

(f) Defense of foreign government vital to United States defense

Any person, or employee of such person, whose foreign principal is a government of a foreign country the defense of which the President deems vital to the defense of the United States while, (1) such person or employee engages only in activities which are in furtherance of the policies, public interest, or national defense both of such government and of the Government of the United States, and are not intended to conflict with any of the domestic or foreign policies of the Government of the United States, (2) each communication or expression by such person or employee which he intends to, or has reason to believe will, be published, disseminated, or circulated among any section of the public, or portion thereof, within the United States, is a part of such activities and is believed by such person to be truthful and accurate and the identity of such person as an agent of such foreign principal is disclosed therein, and (3) such government of a foreign country furnishes to the Secretary of State for transmittal to, and retention for the duration of this subchapter by, the Attorney General such information as to the identity and activities of such person or employee at such times as the Attorney General may require. Upon notice to the Government of which such person is an agent or to such person or employee, the Attorney General, having due regard for the public interest and national defense, may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, and shall, at the request of the Secretary of State, terminate in whole or in part the exemption herein of any such person or employee;

(g) Persons qualified to practice law

Any person qualified to practice law, insofar as he engages or agrees to engage in the legal representation of a disclosed foreign principal before any court of law or any agency of the Government of the United States: Provided, That for the purposes of this subsection legal representation does not include attempts to influence or persuade agency personnel or officials other than in the course of judicial proceedings, criminal or civil law enforcement inquiries, investigations, or proceedings, or agency proceedings required by statute or regulation to be conducted on the record.

(h) Agents of foreign principals

Any agent of a person described in section 611(b)(2) of this title or an entity described in section 611(b)(3) of this title if the agent has engaged in lobbying activities and has registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 [2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.] in connection with the agent’s representation of such person or entity.

(June 8, 1938, ch. 327, § 3, 52 Stat. 632; Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 521, § 2, 53 Stat. 1245; Apr. 29, 1942, ch. 263, § 1, 56 Stat. 254; Pub. L. 87–366, § 2, Oct. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 784; Pub. L. 89–486, § 3, July 4, 1966, 80 Stat. 246; Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(2), (3), Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 700; Pub. L. 105–166, § 5, Apr. 6, 1998, 112 Stat. 39.)Editorial NotesReferences in Text

The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (h), is Pub. L. 104–65, Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 691, which is classified principally to chapter 26 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 2, The Congress. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 2 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

Prior to general amendment of act June 8, 1938, by act Apr. 29, 1942, section related to additional registration statements after each six months period. Provisions on that subject were incorporated in section 612 of this title by 1942 amendment.

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 105–166 substituted “has engaged in lobbying activities and has registered” for “is required to register and does register”.

1995—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(2), substituted “judicial proceedings, criminal or civil law enforcement inquiries, investigations, or proceedings, or agency proceedings required by statute or regulation to be conducted on the record” for “established agency proceedings, whether formal or informal”.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(3), added subsec. (h).

1966—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 89–486, § 3(a), designated existing provisions as cls. (1) and (3), struck out “financial or mercantile” before “activities” in cl. (1), and inserted the cl. (2) exemption of any person engaging or agreeing to engage in other activities not serving predominantly a foreign interest.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 89–486, § 3(b), added subsec. (g).

1961—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 87–366 substituted “private and nonpolitical financial or mercantile activities in furtherance” for “private, non-political, financial, mercantile, or other activities in furtherance”.

1942—Act Apr. 29, 1942, amended section generally.

1939—Act Aug. 7, 1939, amended section generally.

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective Date of 1995 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–65 effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided, see section 24 of Pub. L. 104–65, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1601 of Title 2, The Congress.

Effective Date of 1966 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 89–486 effective ninety days after July 4, 1966, see section 9 of Pub. L. 89–486, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

Effective Date of 1942 Amendment

Amendment by act Apr. 29, 1942, effective on the sixtieth day after Apr. 29, 1942, except that prior to such sixtieth day the Attorney General may make, prescribe, amend, and rescind such rules, regulations, and forms as may be necessary to carry out act Apr. 29, 1942, see section 3 of act Apr. 29, 1942, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1942–2026 · leading case: Attorney Gen. of the United States v. Irish N. Aid Comm., 530 F. Supp. 241 (S.D.N.Y. 1981).
Attorney Gen. of the United States v. Irish N. Aid Comm., 530 F. Supp. 241 (S.D.N.Y. 1981). · cites it 3× “” In a series of affirmative defenses, the defendant alleges harassment and victimization by various illegal Government activities; that the Act is unconstitutional on its face and as applied to INAC; that the action is barred by laches; that the action results from illegal…”
United States v. Bijan Rafiekian, 991 F.3d 529 (4th Cir. 2021). “See 22 U.S.C. § 613 (h); 28 C.F.R. § 5.307 . 6 As discussed in detail below, this case involves two distinct notification statutes— 18 U.”
Mitchell Block, President, Direct Cinema Ltd., Inc. v. Edwin Meese, Iii, Attorney Gen. of the United States, 793 F.2d 1303 (D.C. Cir. 1986). “1139 (1942), thereby causing Congress to add a special exception from registration when necessary to protect United States defense interests, see 22 U.S.C. § 613 (f). More fundamentally, however, both the abstract speculation and the reality of the legislative history are beside…”
Attorney Gen. of the United States of Am. v. The Irish People, Inc., 684 F.2d 928 (D.C. Cir. 1982). “22 U.S.C. § 613 (f) (1976). . Id. . H.R.Rep.”
United States v. John Peter McGoff, 831 F.2d 1071 (D.C. Cir. 1987). “22 U.S.C. § 613 . . Section 611(b) provides: (b) The term “foreign principal” includes— *1075 (1) a government of a foreign country and a foreign political party; (2) a person outside of, the United States, unless it is established that such person is an individual and a citizen…”
Am. Airways Charters, Inc. v. Donald Regan, Sec'y of the Treasury, 746 F.2d 865 (D.C. Cir. 1984). “244 , 246 (codified at 22 U.S.C. § 613 (g) (1982)). Congress further amended a separate section of the Act to ensure that attorneys engaging in "routine .”
Viereck v. United States, 130 F.2d 945 (D.C. Cir. 1942). · cites it 3× “1244 , 1245, 22 U.S.C.A. § 613 . The 1938 Act required a supplemental statement in six months.”
Robert F. Kennedy, Attorney Gen. of the United States v. Victor Rabinowitz & Leonard B. Boudin, 318 F.2d 181 (D.C. Cir. 1963). · cites it 2× “254 , 22 U.S.C. § 613 . . 52 Stat. 632 , as amended, 56 Stat.”
Attorney Gen. of the United States v. Covington & Burling, 411 F. Supp. 371 (D.D.C. 1976). “The Foreign Agents Registration Act does deal partially with the question of confidential communications between a foreign interest and its attorney in 22 U.S.C. § 613 . That section exempts certain “agents of foreign principals” from the disclosure requirements of §§ 612 and…”
Schonbrun v. Dreiband, 268 F. Supp. 332 (E.D.N.Y 1967). “§ 613 (g)) expressly exempting from registration one who is engaged in the legal representation of a disclosed foreign agent before any court, it would seem that the defendant would now be exempt from registration. 5 Plaintiff further claims that the issues identified in…”
Broidy Capital Mgmt. LLC v. Muzin, No. 2019-0150 (D.D.C. June 2, 2022). “22 U.S.C. § 613 (a). 9 The parties dispute whether the Southern District of New York squarely addressed the meaning of the Vienna Conventions.”
Zavadovsky v. Repub. of Austria, No. 2025-1008 (D.D.C. Mar. 31, 2026). “See 22 U.S.C. § 613 (g). Dvoinik v. Rolff, 2024 WL 2974475 , at *5.”
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