---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7102"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "7102"
heading: "Citizenship or noncitizen nationality"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/7102"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
  - "Chapter 71 — Licenses and Certificates of Registry"
---

# §7102. Citizenship or noncitizen nationality


[Licenses](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) and certificates of [registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) 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](/usc/8/1408.md))) 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.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |
| --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| 7102 | 46:242<br>46:1132(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.