19 USC § 1438 - Unlawful return of foreign vessel’s papers

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t19/s1438"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "19 USC § 1438 - Unlawful return of foreign vessel’s papers"
title_number: 19
title_name: "CUSTOMS DUTIES"
section_number: "1438"
section_name: "Unlawful return of foreign vessel’s papers"
chapter_number: 4
chapter_name: "TARIFF ACT OF 1930"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "Report, Entry, and Unlading of Vessels and Vehicles"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 438, 46 Stat. 712; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(b), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 287; Pub. L. 103–182, title VI, § 654, Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2210.)"
---


# § 1438. Unlawful return of foreign vessel’s papers

section 1434 of this title

It shall not be lawful for any foreign consul to deliver to the master of any foreign vessel the register, or document in lieu thereof, deposited with him in accordance with the provisions of , or regulations issued thereunder, until such master shall produce to him a clearance in due form from the Customs Service in the port in which such vessel has entered. Any consul offending against the provisions of this section shall be liable to a fine of not more than $5,000.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 438, 46 Stat. 712; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(b), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 287; Pub. L. 103–182, title VI, § 654, Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2210.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in , . That section was superseded by section 438 of act , comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

### Amendments

1993— substituted “section 1434” for “section 1435”, inserted “, or regulations issued thereunder,” before “until such master”, and substituted “the Customs Service in the port in which such vessel has entered” for “the appropriate customs officer of the port where such vessel has been entered”.

1970— substituted reference to appropriate customs officers for reference to collector.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by , see , set out as a note under .

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under . For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in  as of , see , as amended generally by , and , set out as a note under .