# § 1223. Entry through or from foreign territory and adjacent islands
**(a)** **Necessity of transportation contract** The Attorney General shall have power to enter into contracts with transportation lines for the inspection and admission of aliens coming to the United States from foreign territory or from adjacent islands. No such transportation line shall be allowed to land any such alien in the United States until and unless it has entered into any such contracts which may be required by the Attorney General.
**(b)** **Landing stations** Every transportation line engaged in carrying alien passengers for hire to the United States from foreign territory or from adjacent islands shall provide and maintain at its expense suitable landing stations, approved by the Attorney General, conveniently located at the point or points of entry. No such transportation line shall be allowed to land any alien passengers in the United States until such landing stations are provided, and unless such stations are thereafter maintained to the satisfaction of the Attorney General.
**(c)** **Landing agreements** section 1258 of this title
The Attorney General shall have power to enter into contracts including bonding agreements with transportation lines to guarantee the passage through the United States in immediate and continuous transit of aliens destined to foreign countries. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, such aliens may not have their classification changed under .
**(d)** **Definitions** As used in this section the terms “transportation line” and “transportation company” include, but are not limited to, the owner, charterer, consignee, or authorized agent operating any vessel or aircraft or railroad train bringing aliens to the United States, to foreign territory, or to adjacent islands.
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**Source Credit**: (June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 4, § 233, formerly § 238, 66 Stat. 202; Pub. L. 99–653, § 7(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3657; renumbered § 233 and amended Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, §§ 308(b)(4), (f)(4), 362, Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–615, 3009–622, 3009–645.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original, “this Act”, meaning , , known as the Immigration and Nationality Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
### Codification
Section was formerly classified to prior to renumbering by .
### Prior Provisions
A prior section 1223, , ch. 4, § 233, , related to examinations of aliens upon arrival in the United States, prior to repeal by , , , 1783–56; renumbered § 206(a) and amended , (3), , .
### Amendments
1996—, amended section catchline.
Subsec. (a). , struck out “contiguous” after “foreign”.
, substituted “inspection and admission” for “entry and inspection”.
Subsec. (b). , struck out “contiguous” after “foreign”.
Subsec. (d). , inserted “or railroad train” after “aircraft”.
, struck out “contiguous” after “foreign”.
1986— struck out subsec. (a) which authorized the Attorney General to enter into contracts with transportation lines for the entry and inspection of aliens and to prescribe regulations, and redesignated subsecs. (b) to (e) as (a) to (d), respectively.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by section 308(b)(4), (f)(4) of effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after , see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Amendment by applicable to visas issued, and admissions occurring, on or after , see , set out as a note under .
### Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and Transfer of Functions
For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related references, see note set out under .