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Title 8 — Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-73

§1483 Restrictions on loss of nationality

Title 8 › Chapter CHAPTER 12— - IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - NATIONALITY AND NATURALIZATION › Part Part III— - Loss of Nationality › § 1483

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

No U.S. national can lose U.S. nationality while inside the United States or its outlying possessions, except for the situations listed in paragraphs (6) and (7) of section 1481(a). If a national does one of the acts covered in this Part while inside the United States or its outlying possessions, they only lose nationality if they later move and take up residence outside the United States and its outlying possessions. If a national, within six months after turning 18, formally claims U.S. nationality in the way the Secretary of State requires by regulation, they will not be treated as having lost nationality for any acts they did before turning 18 that are described in paragraphs (3) and (5) of section 1481(a).

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1483

Aliens and Nationality — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in paragraphs (6) and (7) of section 1481(a) of this title, no national of the United States can lose United States nationality under this chapter while within the United States or any of its outlying possessions, but loss of nationality shall result from the performance within the United States or any of its outlying possessions of any of the acts or the fulfillment of any of the conditions specified in this Part if and when the national thereafter takes up a residence outside the United States and its outlying possessions.
(b)A national who within six months after attaining the age of eighteen years asserts his claim to United States nationality, in such manner as the Secretary of State shall by regulation prescribe, shall not be deemed to have lost United States nationality by the commission, prior to his eighteenth birthday, of any of the acts specified in paragraphs (3) and (5) of section 1481(a) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), 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. (a). Pub. L. 104–208 struck out comma after “United States nationality”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–416 in section catchline substituted “loss of nationality” for “expatriation”, in subsec. (a) substituted “lose United States nationality” for “expatriate himself, or be expatriated” and “loss of nationality” for “expatriation”, and in subsec. (b) substituted “lost United States nationality” for “expatriated himself”. 1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–525 amended Pub. L. 99–653. See 1986 Amendment note below. 1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–653, as amended by Pub. L. 100–525, substituted “paragraphs (3)” for “paragraphs (2), (4),”. 1981—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–116, § 18(r)(1), substituted “paragraphs (6) and (7) of section 1481(a)” for “paragraphs (7), (8), and (9) of section 1481”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–116, § 18(r)(2), substituted “and (5)” for “(5), and (6)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–208 effective as if included in the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103–416, see section 671(b)(14) of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

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 actions taken before, on, or after Nov. 14, 1986, see section 23(g) of Pub. L. 99–653, set out as a note under section 1481 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1981 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–116 effective Dec. 29, 1981, see section 21(a) of Pub. L. 97–116, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title. Right of ExpatriationProvisions preserving the right and disavowal of foreign allegiance, see note under section 1481 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1483

Title 8 — Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73