Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102
§7102 Citizenship or Noncitizen Nationality
Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents › CHAPTER 71 — LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY › § 7102
Summary
Only U.S. citizens or noncitizen nationals may get licenses and registry certificates for documented vessels.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §7102
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
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 (8 U.S.C. 1408)) of the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 710246:24246:1132(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—Pub. L. 119–60 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 (8 U.S.C. 1408))” after “citizens” in text.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 7102
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102