§1631o Eligibility for Return of Interest in Property

Summary

People who used to be nationals of Bulgaria, Hungary, or Rumania can get back an ownership interest in property that was taken under wartime vesting laws or the Trading With the Enemy Act if they were denied full citizenship by their country because of political, racial, or religious discrimination at any time between December 7, 1941, and when that discriminatory law ended. The return applies when the property was treated as owned by a corporation from Bulgaria, Hungary, or Rumania and either 25 percent or more of the corporation’s stock at the time of vesting was owned by such people and nationals of countries other than Bulgaria, Hungary, Rumania, Germany, or Japan, or the corporation was, after December 7, 1941, subject to special wartime measures because some or all of its stockholders were regarded as enemy. A Department of State certificate is not required for these people. Claims had to be filed on time under the claims law, including filings made within six months after July 24, 1968. If the interest was sold and the net money sent to the Bulgarian, Hungarian, or Rumanian Claims Fund, other net proceeds of vested property held in the U.S. Treasury may be used to make the return. Decisions by the President’s designee or other official about these claims are final and cannot be reviewed by a court.