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Title 8 — Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-73

§1304 Forms for registration and fingerprinting

Title 8 › Chapter CHAPTER 12— - IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - IMMIGRATION › Part Part VII— - Registration of Aliens › § 1304

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Attorney General and the Secretary of State must create the registration forms, and the Attorney General must create the fingerprinting forms. The forms must ask about entry date and place, what the person has done and plans to do in the U.S., how long they expect to stay, any police or criminal history, and any other required information. Records from registration and fingerprinting are private and can only be released under section 1357(f)(2) or to people or agencies the Attorney General names. People who register must swear that their answers are true, and authorized registrars can administer those oaths. Registered and fingerprinted aliens will be given a registration certificate or receipt card. The Attorney General may require an alien’s Social Security number for the record. Anyone 18 years old or older must always carry their registration certificate or receipt card. Not carrying it is a misdemeanor. On conviction a person can be fined up to $100, jailed up to 30 days, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1304

Aliens and Nationality — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Attorney General and the Secretary of State jointly are authorized and directed to prepare forms for the registration of aliens under section 1301 of this title, and the Attorney General is authorized and directed to prepare forms for the registration and fingerprinting of aliens under section 1302 of this title. Such forms shall contain inquiries with respect to (1) the date and place of entry of the alien into the United States; (2) activities in which he has been and intends to be engaged; (3) the length of time he expects to remain in the United States; (4) the police and criminal record, if any, of such alien; and (5) such additional matters as may be prescribed.
(b)All registration and fingerprint records made under the provisions of this subchapter shall be confidential, and shall be made available only (1) pursuant to section 1357(f)(2) of this title, and (2) to such persons or agencies as may be designated by the Attorney General.
(c)Every person required to apply for the registration of himself or another under this subchapter shall submit under oath the information required for such registration. Any person authorized under regulations issued by the Attorney General to register aliens under this subchapter shall be authorized to administer oaths for such purpose.
(d)Every alien in the United States who has been registered and fingerprinted under the provisions of the Alien Registration Act, 1940, or under the provisions of this chapter shall be issued a certificate of alien registration or an alien registration receipt card in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations issued by the Attorney General.
(e)Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.
(f)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Attorney General is authorized to require any alien to provide the alien’s social security account number for purposes of inclusion in any record of the alien maintained by the Attorney General or the Service.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Alien Registration Act, 1940, referred to in subsec. (d), is act
June 28, 1940, ch. 439, 54 Stat. 670. Title III of that act, which related to register and fingerprinting of aliens, was classified to sections 451 to 460 of this title, was repealed by section 403(a)(39) of act
June 27, 1952. This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d), was in the original, “this Act”, meaning act
June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163, 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 section 1101 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 104–208 added subsec. (f). 1990—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–649 inserted “(1) pursuant to section 1357(f)(2) of this title, and (2)” after “only”. 1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–525 amended Pub. L. 99–653. See 1986 Amendment note below. 1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–653, as amended by Pub. L. 100–525, amended first sentence generally, striking out “and fingerprinting” before “of aliens under section 1301”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–525 effective as if included in the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Act

Amendments

of 1986, Pub. L. 99–653, see section 309(b)(15) of Pub. L. 102–232, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 1988

Amendments

note under section 1101 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–653 applicable to applications for immigrant visas made, and visas issued, on or after Nov. 14, 1986, see section 23(b) of Pub. L. 99–653, set out as a note under section 1201 of this title. 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 section 1551 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1304

Title 8 — Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73