Issuance outside the United States. Any consular officer is authorized to issue regular and official visas. Diplomatic visas may be issued only by:

A consular officer attached to a U.S. diplomatic mission, if authorized to do so by the Chief of Mission; or

A consular officer assigned to a consular office under the jurisdiction of a diplomatic mission, if so authorized by the Department or the Chief, Deputy Chief, or Counselor for Consular Affairs of that mission, or, if assigned to a consular post not under the jurisdiction of a diplomatic mission, by the principal officer of that post.

Issuance in the United States in certain cases. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services and such officers of the Department as the former may designate are authorized, in their discretion, to issue nonimmigrant visas, including diplomatic visas, to:

Qualified aliens who are currently maintaining status and are properly classifiable in the A, C-2, C-3, G or NATO category and intend to reenter the United States in that status after a temporary absence abroad and who also present evidence that:

They have been lawfully admitted in that status or have, after admission, had their classification changed to that status; and

Their period of authorized stay in the United States in that status has not expired; and

Other qualified aliens who:

Are currently maintaining status in the E, H, I, L, O, or P nonimmigrant category;

Intend to reenter the United States in that status after a temporary absence abroad; and

Who also present evidence that:

They were previously issued visas at a consular office abroad and admitted to the United States in the status which they are currently maintaining; and

Their period of authorized admission in that status has not expired.