---
kind: "section"
citation: "8 U.S.C. § 1303"
title: "8"
title_heading: "Aliens and Nationality"
number: "1303"
heading: "Registration of special groups"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/8/1303"
units:
  - "Chapter 12 — Immigration and Nationality"
  - "Subchapter II — Immigration"
  - "Part VII — Registration of Aliens"
---

# §1303. Registration of special groups

- (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections [1301](/usc/8/1301.md) and [1302](/usc/8/1302.md) of this title, the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5) is authorized to prescribe special regulations and forms for the registration and fingerprinting of (1) [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) crewmen, (2) holders of border-crossing identification cards, (3) [aliens](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) confined in institutions within the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38), (4) [aliens](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) under order of removal, (5) [aliens](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) who are or have been on criminal probation or criminal parole within the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38), and (6) [aliens](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) of any other class not lawfully [admitted](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-13-A) to the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38) for [permanent](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-31) [residence](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-33).
- (b) The provisions of [section 1302 of this title](/usc/8/1302.md) and of this section shall not be applicable to any [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) who is in the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38) as a nonimmigrant under [section 1101(a)(15)(A)](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-15-A) or (a)(15)(G) of this title until the [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) ceases to be entitled to such a nonimmigrant status.

## Source credit

(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 7, § 263, 66 Stat. 224; Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, §§ 308(e)(1)(J), 323, Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–619, 3009–629.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(e)(1)(J), substituted “removal” for “deportation”.

Subsec. (a)(5), (6). Pub. L. 104–208, § 323, added cl. (5) and redesignated former cl. (5) as (6).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by section 308(e)(1)(J) of Pub. L. 104–208 effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Sept. 30, 1996, see section 309 of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 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.

### References to Order of Removal Deemed To Include Order of Exclusion and Deportation

For purposes of carrying out this chapter, any reference in law to an order of removal is deemed to include a reference to an order of exclusion and deportation or an order of deportation, see section 309(d)(2) of Pub. L. 104–208, set out in an Effective Date of 1996 Amendments note under section 1101 of this title.