§7304. Citizenship or noncitizen nationality notation on merchant mariners' documents

An individual applying for a merchant mariner's document shall provide satisfactory proof that the individual is a citizen or noncitizen national (as such term is described in section 308 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1408)) of the United States before that notation is made on the document.

( Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 542 ; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, §7301(b)(2)(A), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1751 .)

Section 7304 specifies, that before a merchant mariner's document is noted to specify that the individual is a U.S. citizen, the individual must provide satisfactory proof that he is a citizen. This does not impose a requirement of United States citizenship as a condition for issuance of a document.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025-Pub. L. 119–60 inserted "or noncitizen nationality" after "Citizenship" in section catchline and "or noncitizen national (as such term is described in section 308 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1408))" after "citizen" in text.