19 U.S.C. § 1434 - Entry; vessels

• Cite as: 19 U.S.C. § 1434

(a) Formal entry

Within 24 hours (or such other period of time as may be provided under subsection (c)(2)) after the arrival at any port or place in the United States of-

(1) any vessel from a foreign port or place;

(2) any foreign vessel from a domestic port;

(3) any vessel of the United States having on board foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or

(4) any vessel which has visited a hovering vessel or has delivered or received merchandise while outside the territorial sea;

the master of the vessel shall, unless otherwise provided by law, make formal entry at the nearest customs facility or such other place as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation.

(b) Preliminary entry

The Secretary may by regulation permit the master to make preliminary entry of the vessel with the Customs Service in lieu of formal entry or before formal entry is made. In permitting preliminary entry, the Customs Service shall board a sufficient number of vessels to ensure compliance with the laws it enforces.

(c) Regulations

The Secretary may by regulation-

(1) prescribe the manner and format in which entry under subsection (a) or subsection (b), or both, must be made, and such regulations may provide that any such entry may be made electronically pursuant to an electronic data interchange system;

(2) provide that-

(A) formal entry must be made within a greater or lesser time than 24 hours after arrival, but in no case more than 48 hours after arrival, and

(B) formal entry may be made before arrival; and

(3) authorize the Customs Service to permit entry or preliminary entry of any vessel to be made at a place other than a designated port of entry, under such conditions as may be prescribed.

Cite as 19 U.S.C. § 1434

Source: June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §434, 46 Stat. 711; Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title III. §301, 49 Stat. 527; Pub. L. 91-271, title III, §301(b), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 287; Pub. L. 103-182, title VI, §653, Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2210; Pub. L. 106-476, title I, §1452(a)(2), Nov. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 2167.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 8/10/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

PRIOR PROVISIONS

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §434, 42 Stat. 951. That section was superseded by section 434 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Provisions for deposit of the register and other papers previous to entry, and for their return to the master or owner of the vessel on clearance of the vessel, were contained in R.S. §2790, which was superseded by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §434, 42 Stat. 951, and repealed by section 642 of that act.