The station license required under this chapter shall not be granted to or held by any foreign government or the representative thereof.
No broadcast or common carrier or aeronautical en route or aeronautical fixed radio station license shall be granted to or held by-
In addition to amateur station licenses which the Commission may issue to aliens pursuant to this chapter, the Commission may issue authorizations, under such conditions and terms as it may prescribe, to permit an alien licensed by his government as an amateur radio operator to operate his amateur radio station licensed by his government in the United States, its possessions, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico provided there is in effect a multilateral or bilateral agreement, to which the United States and the alien's government are parties, for such operation on a reciprocal basis by United States amateur radio operators. Other provisions of this chapter and of subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of title 5 shall not be applicable to any request or application for or modification, suspension, or cancellation of any such authorization.
No construction permit or station license, or any rights thereunder, shall be transferred, assigned, or disposed of in any manner, voluntarily or involuntarily, directly or indirectly, or by transfer of control of any corporation holding such permit or license, to any person except upon application to the Commission and upon finding by the Commission that the public interest, convenience, and necessity will be served thereby. Any such application shall be disposed of as if the proposed transferee or assignee were making application under section 308 of this title for the permit or license in question; but in acting thereon the Commission may not consider whether the public interest, convenience, and necessity might be served by the transfer, assignment, or disposal of the permit or license to a person other than the proposed transferee or assignee.
47 U.S.C. § 310
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThis chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), was in the original "this Act", meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.
CODIFICATIONIn subsec. (c), "subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of title 5" substituted for "the Administrative Procedure Act" on authority of Pub. L. 89-554, §7(b), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 631, the first section of which enacted Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
AMENDMENTS1996-Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 104-104, §403(k)(1), struck out "of which any officer or director is an alien or" before "of which more".Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 104-104, §403(k)(2), struck out "of which any officer or more than one-fourth of the directors are aliens, or" after "any other corporation".1990-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101-396 substituted "multilateral or bilateral agreement, to which the United States and the alien's government are parties," for "bilateral agreement between the United States and the alien's government".1983-Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 98-214 added subsec. (e).1974-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93-505 added subsec. (a). Former subsec. (a), which related to granting to or holding of required station licenses by aliens, was struck out.Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 93-505 added subsecs. (b) and (c) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (d).1971-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92-81 inserted provisions empowering the Commission to issue licenses to certain aliens admitted to the United States for permanent residence, provided that the Commission notify the appropriate agencies of the Government of applications received for license, and that such agencies furnish to the Commission information bearing on the request's compatibility with national security.1964-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 88-313 empowered the Commission to issue authorizations to permit an alien licensed by his government as an amateur radio operator to operate his station, licensed by his government, in the United States, its possessions, and Puerto Rico, provided there is a bilateral agreement between the United States and the alien's government giving similar rights to United States amateur radio operators, and provided that the Commission notify appropriate agencies of our Government of any applications for authorization, and that such agencies furnish to the Commission information bearing on the request's compatibility with our national security.1958-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85-817 inserted paragraph authorizing the grant of licenses for radio stations on aircraft to aliens or representatives of aliens holding pilot certificates.1952-Subsec. (b). Act July 16, 1952, provided that construction permits and station licenses cannot be transferred, assigned, or disposed of except upon a finding by the Commission that public interest, convenience, or necessity will be served thereby, and that such transfer application will be treated the same as if made under section 308 of this title.