Editorial Note on Part 40
Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 40 appear at 71 FR 34520 and 34521, June 15, 2006.

§ 40.1 Definitions. The following definitions supplement definitions contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). As used in the regulations in parts 40, 41, 42, 43 and 45 of this subchapter, the term: ( a ) ( 1 ) *Accompanying or accompanied by* means not only an alien in the physical company of a principal alien but also an alien who is issued an immigrant visa within 6 months of: ( i ) The date of issuance of a visa to the principal alien;
( ii ) The date of adjustment of status in the United States of the principal alien; or
( iii ) The date on which the principal alien personally appears and registers before a consular officer abroad to confer alternate foreign state chargeability or immigrant status upon a spouse or child.
( 2 ) An “accompanying” relative may not precede the principal alien to the United States.
( b ) *Act* means the Immigration and Nationality Act (or INA), as amended.
( c ) *Competent officer,* as used in INA 101(a)(26), means a “consular officer” as defined in INA 101(a)(9).
( d ) *Consular officer,* as defined in INA 101(a)(9) includes commissioned consular officers and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services, and such other officers as the Deputy Assistant Secretary may designate for the purpose of issuing nonimmigrant and immigrant visas, but does not include a consular agent, an attaché or an assistant attaché. For purposes of this regulation, the term “other officers” includes civil service visa examiners employed by the Department of State for duty at visa-issuing offices abroad, upon certification by the chief of the consular section under whose direction such examiners are employed that the examiners are qualified by knowledge and experience to perform the functions of a consular officer in the issuance or refusal of visas. The designation of visa examiners shall expire upon termination of the examiners' employment for such duty and may be terminated at any time for cause by the Deputy Assistant Secretary. The assignment by the Department of any foreign service officer to a diplomatic or consular office abroad in a position administratively designated as requiring, solely, partially, or principally, the performance of consular functions, and the initiation of a request for a consular commission, constitutes designation of the officer as a “consular officer” within the meaning of INA 101(a)(9).
( e ) *Department* means the Department of State of the United States of America.
( f ) *Dependent area* means a colony or other component or dependent area overseas from the governing foreign state.
( g ) *DHS* means the Department of Homeland Security.
( h ) *Documentarily qualified* means that the alien has reported that all the documents specified by the consular officer as sufficient to meet the requirements of INA 222(b) have been obtained, and the consular office has completed the necessary clearance procedures. This term is used only with respect to the alien's qualification to apply formally for an immigrant visa; it bears no connotation that the alien is eligible to receive a visa.
( i ) *Entitled to immigrant classification* means that the alien: ( 1 ) Is the beneficiary of an approved petition granting immediate relative or preference status;
( 2 ) Has satisfied the consular officer as to entitlement to special immigrant status under INA 101(a)(27) (A) or (B);
( 3 ) Has been selected by the annual selection system to apply under INA 203(c); or
( 4 ) Is an alien described in § 40.51(c).
( j ) *Foreign state,* for the purposes of alternate chargeability pursuant to INA 202(b), is not restricted to those areas to which the numerical limitation prescribed by INA 202(a) applies but includes dependent areas, as defined in this section.
( k ) *INA* means the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended.
( l ) *Make or file an application for a visa* means: ( 1 ) For a nonimmigrant visa applicant, submitting for formal adjudication by a consular officer of an electronic application, Form DS-160, signed electronically by clicking the box designated “Sign Application” in the certification section of the application or, as directed by a consular officer, a completed Form DS-156, with any required supporting documents and biometric data, as well as the requisite processing fee or evidence of the prior payment of the processing fee when such documents are received and accepted for adjudication by the consular officer.
( 2 ) For an immigrant visa applicant, personally appearing before a consular officer and verifying by oath or affirmation the statements contained on Form DS-230 or Form DS-260 and in all supporting documents, having previously submitted all forms and documents required in advance of the appearance and paid the visa application processing fee.
( m ) *Native* means born within the territory of a foreign state, or entitled to be charged for immigration purposes to that foreign state pursuant to INA section 202(b).
( n ) *Not subject to numerical limitation* means that the alien is entitled to immigrant status as an immediate relative within the meaning of INA 201(b)(2)(i), or as a special immigrant within the meaning of INA 101(a)(27) (A) and (B), unless specifically subject to a limitation other than under INA 201(a), (b), or (c).
( o ) *Parent, father, and mother,* as defined in INA 101(b)(2), are terms which are not changed in meaning if the child becomes 21 years of age or marries.
( p ) *Port of entry* means a port or place designated by the DHS at which an alien may apply to DHS for admission into the United States.
( q ) *Principal alien* means an alien from whom another alien derives a privilege or status under the law or regulations.
( r ) *Regulation* means a rule which is established under the provisions of INA 104(a) and is duly published in the Federal Register.
( s ) *Son or daughter* includes only a person who would have qualified as a “child” under INA 101(b)(1) if the person were under 21 and unmarried.
( t ) *Western Hemisphere* means North America (including Central America), South America and the islands immediately adjacent thereto including the places named in INA 101(b)(5).
[56 FR 30422, July 2, 1991, as amended at 56 FR 43552, Sept. 3, 1991; 59 FR 15300, Mar. 31, 1994; 61 FR 1835, Jan. 24, 1996; 64 FR 55418, Oct. 13, 1999; 65 FR 54413, Sept. 8, 2000; 71 FR 34520, June 15, 2006; 73 FR 23068, Apr. 29, 2008; 75 FR 45476, Aug. 3, 2010]