Overseas Briefing Center (OBC)

The Overseas Briefing Center offers U.S. Government employees and their families assigned to, considering, or returning from an an assignment under Chief of Mission authority, the opportunity to research living conditions at overseas posts and the foreign affairs lifestyle. NEW! View vignettes of life overseas from the Clips to Go contest winners.

NEW! Incoming Officers, Family Members, and Members of Household - check out the updated on-site Spouse/Partner Orientation Program, and the new, optional online version. 

Materials at the Center include: 

  • NEW! The Spouse and Partner Guide to the Foreign Service
  • country briefing boxes containing post-specific information on housing, schools, family member employment, medical faciliites, pet import/export restrictions, car import/export specifications, etc. This same information is contained in an online database called Post Info To Go (intranet only). Though Post Info To Go is an internal program, users may download and e-mail search results to personal email addresses and loved ones at home. 
  • over 1000 post-specific audiovisuals on the above topics
  • constantly updated pet travel facts
  • cultural guides and cross-cultural reference books
  • dozens of handouts on Foreign Service-related topics like consummables lists, household goods insurance and important documents to hand-carry
  • Washington, DC area information (including temporary housing facilities near FSI)

If you are considering a U.S. Government assignment overseas, cannot access the State intranet, and do not have a spouse, partner or contact person who can send the files to you, you can request OBC information by e-mail. Please narrow your list before contacting us; we link to many helpful Internet resources from this site.  

The Overseas Briefing Center operates as a drop-in facility. Hours are: Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., as well as on select Saturdays and Wednesday evenings. For more information, check our Open Hours schedule.

OBC in the News:
OBC 30th Anniversary in the News

-GLOSSARY OF U.S. EMBASSY ACRONYMS  [94 Kb]
-FS Yahoo groups
-Spouse/Partner Orientation to the Foreign Service Lifestyle
-Essential Online Resources
-Generalist Spouse/Partner Sample Agenda
-Specialist Spouse/Partner Sample Agenda
-SAMPLE Specialist Spouse/Partner Orientation Agenda  [50 Kb]
-YAHOO and Group listings for Foreign Service Families and Members of Household  [167 Kb]
-Thriving as a Foreign Service Spouse article  [26 Kb]
-Essential Online Resources to Life in the Foreign Service  [31 Kb]
-01/27/09   Spouse and Partner Guide to the Foreign Service  [663 Kb]
-Acronyms and Jargon Defined  [18 Kb]
-Preparing to Go Overseas

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