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46 USC § 7102 - Citizenship or noncitizen nationality 

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s7102"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 7102 - Citizenship or noncitizen nationality"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "7102"
section_name: "Citizenship or noncitizen nationality"
chapter_number: 71
chapter_name: "LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY"
part_number: "E"
part_name: "Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 540; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7301(b)(1), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1751.)"
---

# § 7102. Citizenship or noncitizen nationality

8 U.S.C. 1408

Licenses and certificates of registry for individuals on documented vessels may be issued only to citizens or noncitizen nationals (as such term is described in section 308 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ()) of the United States.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 540; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7301(b)(1), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1751.)

| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| --- | --- |
| 7102 | 46:24246:1132(a) |

Section 7102 requires that any individual issued a license or certificate of registry allowing the individual to be engaged on a documented vessel must be a U.S. citizen.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2025— inserted “or noncitizen nationality” after “Citizenship” in section catchline and “or noncitizen nationals (as such term is described in section 308 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ())” after “citizens” in text.