22 C.F.R. Subpart C—Foreign Government Officials
Title 22 - Foreign Relations
(a) Definitions. In addition to pertinent INA definitions, the following definitions are applicable: (1) Accredited, as used in INA 101(a)(15)(A), 101(a)(15)(G), and 212(d)(8), means an alien holding an official position, other than an honorary official position, with a government or international organization and possessing a travel document or other evidence of intention to enter or transit the United States to transact official business for that government or international organization. (2) Attendants, as used in INA 101(a)(15)(A)(iii), 101(a)(15)(G)(v), and 212(d)(8), and in the definition of the NATO–7 visa symbol, means aliens paid from the public funds of a foreign government or from the funds of an international organization, accompanying or following to join the principal alien to whom a duty or service is owed. (3) Immediate family, as used in INA 101(a)(15)(A), 101(a)(15)(G), and 212(d)(8), and in classification under the NATO–1 through NATO–5 visa symbols, means the spouse and unmarried sons and daughters, whether by blood or adoption, who are not members of some other household, and who will reside regularly in the household of the principal alien. “Immediate family” also includes any other close relatives of the principal alien or spouse who: (i) Are relatives of the principal alien or spouse by blood, marriage, or adoption; (ii) Are not members of some other household; (iii) Will reside regularly in the household of the principal alien; (iv) Are recognized as dependents by the sending Government as demonstrated by eligibility for rights and benefits, such as the issuance of a diplomatic or official passport and travel and other allowances, which would be granted to the spouse and children of the principal alien; and (v) Are individually authorized by the Department. (4) Servants and personal employees, as used in INA 101(a)(15)(A)(iii), 101(a)(15)(G)(v), and 212(d)(8), and in classification under the NATO–7 visa symbol, means aliens employed in a domestic or personal capacity by a principal alien, who are paid from the private funds of the principal alien and seek to enter the United States solely for the purpose of such employment. (b) Exception to passport validity requirement for aliens in certain A, G, and NATO classes. A nonimmigrant alien for whom the passport requirement of INA 212(a)(7)(B)(i)(I) has not been waived and who is within one of the classes: (1) Described in INA 101(a)(15)(A)(i) and (ii); or (2) Described in INA 101(a)(15)(G)(i), (ii), (iii), and (iv); or (3) NATO–1, NATO–2, NATO–3, NATO–4, or NATO–6 may present a passport which is valid only for a sufficient period to enable the alien to apply for admission at a port of entry prior to its expiration. (c) Exception to passport validity requirement for foreign government officials in transit. An alien classified C–3 under INA 212(d)(8) needs to present only a valid unexpired visa and a travel document which is valid for entry into a foreign country for at least 30 days from the date of application for admission into the United States. (d) Grounds for refusal of visas applicable to certain A, C, G, and NATO classes. (1) An A–1 or A–2 visa may not be issued to an alien the Department has determined to be persona non grata. (2) Only the provisions of INA 212(a) cited below apply to the indicated classes of nonimmigrant visa applicants: (i) Class A–1: INA 212(a) (3)(A), (3)(B), and (3)(C); (ii) Class A–2: INA 212(a) (3)(A), (3)(B), and (3)(C); (iii) Classes C–2 and C–3: INA 212(a) (3)(A), (3)(B), (3)(C), and (7)(B); (iv) Classes G–1, G–2, G–3, and G–4: INA 212(a) (3)(A), (3)(B), and (3)(C); (v) Classes NATO–1, NATO–2, NATO–3, NATO–4, and NATO–6: INA 212(a) (3)(A), (3)(B), and (3)(C); (3) An alien within class A–3 or G–5 is subject to all grounds of refusal specified in INA 212 which are applicable to nonimmigrants in general. [52 FR 42597, Nov. 5, 1987; 53 FR 9111, Mar. 21, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 30428, July 2, 1991] (a) Criteria for classification of foreign government officials. (1) An alien is classifiable A–1 or A–2 under INA 101(a)(15)(A) (i) or (ii) if the principal alien: (i) Has been accredited by a foreign government recognized de jure by the United States; (ii) Intends to engage solely in official activities for that foreign government while in the United States; and (iii) Has been accepted by the President, the Secretary of State, or a consular officer acting on behalf of the Secretary of State. (2) A member of the immediate family of a principal alien is classifiable A–1 or A–2 under INA 101(a)(15)(A) (i) or (ii) if the principal alien is so classified. (b) Classification under INA 101(a)(15)(A). An alien entitled to classification under INA 101(a)(15)(A) shall be classified under this section even if eligible for another nonimmigrant classification. (c) Classification of attendants, servants, and personal employees. An alien is classifiable as a nonimmigrant under INA 101(a)(15)(A)(iii) if the consular officer is satisfied that the alien qualifies under those provisions. (d) Referral to the Department of special cases concerning principal alien applicants. In any case in which there is uncertainty about the applicability of these regulations to a principal alien applicant requesting such nonimmigrant status, the matter shall be immediately referred to the Department for consideration as to whether acceptance of accreditation will be granted. (e) Change of classification to that of a foreign government official. In the case of an alien in the United States seeking a change of nonimmigrant classification under INA 248 to a classification under INA 101(a)(15)(A) (i) or (ii), the question of acceptance of accreditation is determined by the Department. (f) Termination of status. The Department may, in its discretion, cease to recognize as entitled to classification under INA 101(a)(15)(A) (i) or (ii) any alien who has nonimmigrant status under that provision. (g) Classification of foreign government official. A foreign government official or employee seeking to enter the United States temporarily other than as a representative or employee of a foreign government is not classifiable under the provisions of INA 101(a)(15)(A). (h) Courier and acting courier on official business—(1) Courier of career. An alien regularly and professionally employed as a courier by the government of the country to which the alien owes allegiance is classifiable as a nonimmigrant under INA 101(a)(15)(A)(i), if the alien is proceeding to the United States on official business for that government. (2) Official acting as courier. An alien not regularly and professionally employed as a courier by the government of the country to which the alien owes allegiance is classifiable as a nonimmigrant under INA 101(a)(15)(A)(ii), if the alien is holding an official position and is proceeding to the United States as a courier on official business for that government. (3) Nonofficial serving as courier. An alien serving as a courier but not regularly and professionally employed as such who holds no official position with, or is not a national of, the country whose government the alien is serving, shall be classified as a nonimmigrant under INA 101(a)(15)(B). (i) Official of foreign government not recognized by the United States. An official of a foreign government not recognized de jure by the United States, who is proceeding to or through the United States on an official mission or to an international organization shall be classified as a nonimmigrant under INA 101(a)(15) (B), (C), or (G)(iii). An accredited official of a foreign government intending to proceed in immediate and continuous transit through the United States on official business for that government is entitled to the benefits of INA 212(d)(8) if that government grants similar privileges to officials of the United States, and is classifiable C–3 under the provisions of INA 101(a)(15)(C). Members of the immediate family, attendants, servants, or personal employees of such an official receive the same classification as the principal alien. (a) Definition of international organization. “International organization” means: (1) Any public international organization which has been designated by the President by Executive Order as entitled to enjoy the privileges, exemptions, and immunities provided for in the International Organizations Immunities Act (59 Stat. 669, 22 U.S.C. 288); and (2) For the purpose of special immigrant status under INA 101(a)(27)(I), INTELSAT or any successor or separated entity thereof. (b) Aliens coming to international organizations. (1) An alien is classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(G) if the consular officer is satisfied that the alien is within one of the classes described in that section and seeks to enter or transit the United States in pursuance of official duties. If the purpose of the entry or transit is other than pursuance of official duties, the alien is not classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(G). (2) An alien applying for a visa under the provisions of INA 101(a)(15)(G) may not be refused solely on the grounds that the applicant is not a national of the country whose government the applicant represents. (3) An alien seeking to enter the United States as a foreign government representative to an international organization, who is also proceeding to the United States on official business as a foreign government official within the meaning of INA 101(a)(15)(A), shall be issued a visa under that section, if otherwise qualified. (4) An alien not classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(A) but entitled to classification under INA 101(a)(15)(G) shall be classified under the latter section, even if also eligible for another nonimmigrant classification. (c) Officers and employees of privatized INTELSAT, their family members and domestic servants. (1) Officers and employees of privatized INTELSAT who both were employed by INTELSAT, and held status under INA 101(a)(15)(G)(iv) for at least six months prior to privatization on July 17, 2001, will continue to be so classifiable for so long as they are officers or employees of INTELSAT or a successor or separated entity thereof. (2) Aliens who had had G–4 status as officers and employees of INTELSAT but became officers or employees of a successor or separated entity of INTELSAT after at least six months of such employment, but prior to and in anticipation of privatization and subsequent to March 17, 2000, will also continue to be classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(G)(iv) for so long as that employment continues. (3) Family members of officers and employees described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section who qualify as “immediate family” under §41.21(a)(3) and who are accompanying or following to join the principal are also classifiable under INA 1010(a)(15)(G)(iv) for so long as the principal is so classified. (4) Attendants, servants, and personal employees of officers and employees described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section are not eligible for classification under INA 101(a)(15)(G)(v), given that the officers and employees described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section are not officers or employees of an “international organization” for purposes of INA 101(a)(15)(G). [52 FR 42597, Nov. 5, 1987, as amended at 67 FR 1414, Jan. 11, 2002; 67 FR 18822, Apr. 17, 2002] (a) Classification. An alien shall be classified under the symbol NATO–1, NATO–2, NATO–3, NATO–4, or NATO–5 if the consular officer is satisfied that the alien is seeking admission to the United States under the applicable provision of the Agreement on the Status of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, National Representatives and International Staff, or is a member of the immediate family of an alien classified NATO–1 through NATO–5. (See §41.12 for classes of aliens entitled to classification under each symbol.) (b) Armed services personnel. Armed services personnel entering the United States in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement Between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty Regarding the Status of Their Forces or in accordance with the provisions of the Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters Set Up Pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty may enter the United States under the appropriate treaty waiver of documentary requirements contained in §41.1 (d) or (e). If a visa is issued it is classifiable under the NATO–2 symbol. (c) Dependents of armed services personnel. Dependents of armed services personnel referred to in paragraph (b) of this section shall be classified under the symbol NATO–2. (d) Members of civilian components and dependents. Alien members of a civilian component accompanying a force entering in accordance with the provisions of the NATO Status-of-Forces Agreement, and dependents, or alien members of a civilian component attached to or employed by an Allied Headquarters under the Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters, and dependents shall be classified under the symbol NATO–6. (e) Attendant, servant, or personal employee of an alien classified NATO–1 through NATO–6. An alien attendant, servant, or personal employee of an alien classified NATO–1 through NATO–6, and any member of the immediate family of such attendant, servant, or personal employee, shall be classified under the symbol NATO–7. (a) Definitions. (1) Diplomatic passport means a national passport bearing that title and issued by a competent authority of a foreign government. (2) Diplomatic visa means any nonimmigrant visa, regardless of classification, which bears that title and is issued in accordance with the regulations of this section. (3) Equivalent of a diplomatic passport means a national passport, issued by a competent authority of a foreign government which does not issue diplomatic passports to its career diplomatic and consular officers, indicating the career diplomatic or consular status of the bearer. (b) Place of application. With the exception of certain aliens in the United States issued nonimmigrant visas by the Department under the provisions of §41.111(b), application for a diplomatic visa shall be made at a diplomatic mission or at a consular office authorized to issue diplomatic visas, regardless of the nationality or residence of the applicant. (c) Classes of aliens eligible to receive diplomatic visas. (1) A nonimmigrant alien who is in possession of a diplomatic passport or its equivalent shall, if otherwise qualified, be eligible to receive a diplomatic visa irrespective of the classification of the visa under §41.12 if within one of the following categories: (i) Heads of states and their alternates; (ii) Members of a reigning royal family; (iii) Governors-general, governors, high commissioners, and similar high administrative or executive officers of a territorial unit, and their alternates; (iv) Cabinet ministers and their assistants holding executive or administrative positions not inferior to that of the head of a departmental division, and their alternates; (v) Presiding officers of chambers of national legislative bodies; (vi) Justices of the highest national court of a foreign country; (vii) Ambassadors, public ministers, other officers of the diplomatic service and consular officers of career; (viii) Military officers holding a rank not inferior to that of a brigadier general in the United States Army or Air Force and Naval officers holding a rank not inferior to that of a rear admiral in the United States Navy; (ix) Military, naval, air and other attaché and assistant attaché assigned to a foreign diplomatic mission; (x) Officers of foreign-government delegations to international organizations so designated by Executive Order; (xi) Officers of foreign-government delegations to, and officers of, international bodies of an official nature, other than international organizations so designated by Executive Order; (xii) Officers of a diplomatic mission of a temporary character proceeding to or through the United States in the performance of their official duties; (xiii) Officers of foreign-government delegations proceeding to or from a specific international conference of an official nature; (xiv) Members of the immediate family of a principal alien who is within one of the classes described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) to (c)(1)(xi) inclusive, of this section; (xv) Members of the immediate family accompanying or following to join the principal alien who is within one of the classes described in paragraphs (c)(1)(xii) and (c)(1)(xiii) of this section; (xvi) Diplomatic couriers proceeding to or through the United States in the performance of their official duties. (2) Aliens Classifiable G–4, who are otherwise qualified, are eligible to receive a diplomatic visa if accompanying these officers: (i) The Secretary General of the United Nations; (ii) An Under Secretary General of the United Nations; (iii) An Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations; (iv) The Administrator or the Deputy Administrator of the United Nations Development Program; (v) An Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Program; (vi) The Executive Director of the: (A) United Nation's Children's Fund; (B) United Nations Institute for Training and Research; (C) United Nations Industrial Development Organization; (vii) The Executive Secretary of the: (A) United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; (B) United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East; (C) United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America; (D) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe; (viii) The Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; (ix) The Director General of the Latin American Institute for Economic and Social Planning; (x) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; (xi) The United Nations Commissioner for Technical Cooperation; (xii) The Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East; (xiii) The spouse or child of any nonimmigrant alien listed in paragraphs (c)(2)(i) through (c)(2)(xii) of this section. (3) Other individual aliens or classes of aliens are eligible to receive diplomatic visas upon authorization of the Department, the Chief of a U.S. Diplomatic Mission, the Deputy Chief of Mission, the Counselor for Consular Affairs or the principal officer of a consular post not under the jurisdiction of a diplomatic mission. [52 FR 42597, Nov. 5, 1987; 53 FR 9111, Mar. 21, 1988] (a) Definition. Official visa means any nonimmigrant visa, regardless of classification, which bears that title and is issued in accordance with these regulations. (b) Place of application. Official visas are ordinarily issued only when application is made in the consular district of the applicant's residence. When directed by the Department, or in the discretion of the consular officer, official visas may be issued when application is made in a consular district in which the alien is physically present but does not reside. Certain aliens in the United States may be issued official visas by the Department under the provisions of §41.111(b). (c) Classes of aliens eligible to receive official visas. (1) A nonimmigrant within one of the following categories who is not eligible to receive a diplomatic visa shall, if otherwise qualified, be eligible to receive an official visa irrespective of classification of the visa under §41.12: (i) Aliens within a class described in §41.26(c)(2) who are ineligible to receive a diplomatic visa because they are not in possession of a diplomatic passport or its equivalent; (ii) Aliens classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(A); (iii) Aliens, other than those described in §41.26(c)(3) who are classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(G), except those classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(G)(iii) unless the government of which the alien is an accredited representative is recognized de jure by the United States; (iv) Aliens classifiable under INA 101(a)(15)(C) as nonimmigrants described in INA 212(d)(8); (v) Members and members-elect of national legislative bodies; (vi) Justices of the lesser national and the highest state courts of a foreign country; (vii) Officers and employees of national legislative bodies proceeding to or through the United States in the performance of their official duties; (viii) Clerical and custodial employees attached to foreign-government delegations to, and employees of, international bodies of an official nature, other than international organizations so designated by Executive Order, proceeding to or through the United States in the performance of their official duties; (ix) Clerical and custodial employees attached to a diplomatic mission of a temporary character proceeding to or through the United States in the performance of their official duties; (x) Clerical and custodial employees attached to foreign-government delegations proceeding to or from a specific international conference of an official nature; (xi) Officers and employees of foreign governments recognized de jure by the United States who are stationed in foreign contiguous territories or adjacent islands; (xii) Members of the immediate family, attendants, servants and personal employees of, when accompanying or following to join, a principal alien who is within one of the classes referred to or described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(xi) inclusive of this section; (xiii) Attendants, servants and personal employees accompanying or following to join a principal alien who is within one of the classes referred to or described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(xiii) inclusive of §41.26(c)(2). (2) Other individual aliens or classes of aliens are eligible to receive official visas upon the authorization of the Department, the Chief of a U.S. Diplomatic Mission, the Deputy Chief of Mission, the Counselor for Consular Affairs, or the principal officer of a consular post not under the jurisdiction of a diplomatic mission. [52 FR 42597, Nov. 5, 1987; 53 FR 9111, Mar. 21, 1988]
Title 22: Foreign Relations
PART 41—VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF NONIMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED
Subpart C—Foreign Government Officials
§ 41.21 Foreign Oficials—General.
§ 41.22 Officials of foreign governments.
§ 41.23 Accredited officials in transit.
§ 41.24 International organization aliens.
§ 41.25 NATO representatives, officials, and employees.
§ 41.26 Diplomatic visas.
§ 41.27 Official visas.
