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*Here
are the requirements for registering Domain Names ending in .US
Click here to register
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Nexus Policy
Registrants in the usTLD must be either:
1. A natural person (i) who is a United States
citizen, (ii) a permanent resident of the United States of
America or any of its possessions or territories, or (iii)
whose primary place of domicile is in the United States of
America or any of its possessions [Nexus Category 1],
2. An entity or organization that is (i) incorporated
within one of the fifty (50) U.S. states, the District of
Columbia, or any of the United States possessions or
territories or organized, or (ii) otherwise constituted
under the laws of a state of the United States of America,
the District of Columbia or any of its possessions or
territories (including a federal, state, or local government
of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof,
and unincorporated organizations based in the United States)
[Nexus Category 2], or
3. An entity or organization that has a bona fide
presence in the United States of America or any of its
possessions or territories. [Nexus Category 3]
Prospective registrant will certify that they have a
"bona fide presence in the United States" on the
basis of real and substantial lawful contacts with, or
lawful activities in, the United States of America. This
requirement is intended to ensure that only those
individuals or organizations that have a substantive lawful
connection to the United States are permitted to register
for usTLD domain names.
It shall be a continuing requirement that all usTLD domain
name registrants maintain the US Nexus Requirement.
To implement the Nexus requirement, NeuStar will:
* Require that Registrars certify that they enforce the
nexus requirements upon their registrants and that they
require that their registrants to certify that they meet the
nexus requirement.
* Conduct a scan of selected registration request
information to provide a "veracity check" on the
information.
* Conduct "spot checks" on registrant information.
Information Collected From Registrants
To register a name, registrants, through their registrars
will be required to provide basic registration information
to the Registry.
The minimum required information is:
* The domain name registered;
* The IP address and corresponding names of the primary and
secondary name servers for the registered name;
* The registrar name and URL or, where appropriate, the
identity of the delegated manager under which the name is
registered;
* The original creation date and term of the registration;
* The name and postal address of the domain name registrant;
* The name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone
number, and (where available) fax number of the name holder
for the name registered;
* The name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone
number, and (where available) fax number of the technical
contact for the name registered; and
* The name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone
number, and (where available) fax number of the
administrative contact for the name registered.
In addition to the above information, registrants will be
required to provide certain additional Nexus Information to
their registrar. Except where it is noted below that a
registration will be denied if information is missing,
failure of a registration to satisfy Nexus will result in
the name being placed upon a 30-day hold during which time
the registrar will be notified and given the opportunity to
correct the information with the registrant. If no action is
taken by the registrar within the 30-day period, the
registration will be cancelled and the name will be returned
to available status. The registration fee will not be
refunded. If, on the other hand, the registrar is able to
demonstrate compliance with the requirement and the
information is corrected, the hold will be released and the
name will be registered.
* Certification that Registrant satisfies nexus requirement
-- if not completed, then registration will be rejected;
* Basis for compliance (Nexus Category 1, 2, or 3) -- if not
completed, then registration will be rejected;
* Certification that the listed name servers are located
within the United States - if not completed, then
registration will be rejected;
Nexus Category 1
A natural person (i) who is a United States citizen, (ii) a
permanent resident of the United States of America or any of
its possessions or territories, or (iii) whose primary place
of domicile is in the United States of America or any of its
possessions.
* statement of citizenship or legal permanent residency - if
not completed then registration will be rejected;
Nexus Category 2
An United States entity or organization that is (i)
incorporated within one of the fifty (50) U.S. states, the
District of Columbia, or any of the United States
possessions or territories or organized, or (ii) otherwise
constituted under the laws of a state of the United States
of America, the District of Columbia or any of its
possessions or (including a federal, state, or local
government of the United States, or a political subdivision
thereof, and unincorporated organizations based in the
United States).
Nexus Category 3
An entity or organization that has a bona fide presence in
the United States of America or any of its possessions or
territories.
* Applicant must state country of citizenship.
* Check from category list, basis for compliance with Nexus
requirement - regularly engages in lawful activities (sales
of goods or services or other business, commercial or
non-commercial including not-for-profit activities) in the
United States;
* maintains an office or other property within the United
States
Category 3 Nexus Certification
Prospective Registrants will certify compliance with
Category 3 Nexus based upon substantial lawful contacts
with, or lawful activities in, the United States.
Factors that should be considered in determining whether an
entity or organization has a bona fide presence in the
United States shall include, without limitation, whether
such prospective usTLD domain name registrant:
* Regularly performs lawful activities within the United
States related to the purposes for which the entity or
organization is constituted (e.g., selling goods or
providing services to customers, conducting regular training
activities, attending conferences), provided such activities
are not conducted solely or primarily to permit it to
register for a usTLD domain name and are lawful under the
laws and regulations of the United States and satisfy
policies for the usTLD, including policies approved and/or
mandated by the DoC;
* Maintains an office or other facility in the United States
for a lawful business, noncommercial, educational, or
governmental purpose and not solely or primarily to permit
it to register for a usTLD domain name.
Nexus Dispute Policy
Although the Nexus Requirement will initially be enforced
through the registration process, as described above,
disputes may arise as to the authenticity, veracity, or
accuracy of the registrant's Nexus certification. Therefore,
NeuStar, as administrator of the usTLD has devised a Nexus
Dispute Policy (NDP) that will be administered solely by the
usTLD Administrator, or its designated representative. The
NDP will provide interested parties with an opportunity to
challenge a registration not complying with the Nexus
Requirement.
In the event that a third party wishes to challenge the
authenticity or veracity of a usTLD registrant's United
States Nexus, that party may submit a "Nexus
Challenge" to the usTLD Administrator or its authorized
representative. The challenger must submit a written
statement to the usTLD Administrator via first class mail
alleging with specificity, evidence to support its
allegation that the registrant fails to meet any of the
Nexus Requirements set forth above. NeuStar, as the usTLD
Administrator, may itself begin the challenge process as the
result of its own "spot check" process. The
written statement must be accompanied by a signed Nexus
Challenge Affidavit, which the challenger will download from
www.neustar.us, and the required NDP fee, as posted at
www.neustar.us.
Once the usTLD Administrator receives a challenge, the
domain name will be placed upon "registry hold"
until the matter is resolved. While the name is on registry
hold, the registrant may not (i) change any of the contact
information for that particular domain name or (ii) transfer
the domain name to any third party.
In the event that the usTLD Administrator finds that the
challenger has established a prima facie case that the
registrant has not met the Nexus Requirement, the usTLD
Administrator Nexus Officer will issue a letter to the
registrant to submit evidence of compliance with the Nexus
Requirements ("Letter"). The registrant shall have
a period of thirty (30) days from the date of the Letter to
submit evidence of compliance. If, within the thirty (30)
days, the registrant submits evidence establishing
compliance with the Nexus Requirement, the registrant shall
be permitted to keep the domain name.
If, however, the registrant either (i) does not respond
within the thirty (30 days, or (ii) is unable to demonstrate
through documentary evidence that it complied with the Nexus
Requirement prior to the date the NDP was invoked, the usTLD
Administrator Nexus Officer will issue a finding that the
registrant has failed to meet the Nexus Requirement. Upon
such a finding, the registrant will be given a total of
thirty (30) days to cure the US Nexus deficiency. If the
registrant is able to demonstrate within (30) days that it
has cured such deficiency, the registrant will be allowed to
keep the domain name. If the registrant either (i) does not
respond within the thirty (30) days, or (ii) is unable to
proffer evidence demonstrating compliance with the Nexus
Requirement, the domain name registration will be deleted
from the registry database, the registrar for the name will
be notified, and the domain name will be made available for
registration. This process represents the exclusive remedy
for an NDP challenger.
usTLD Administrator reserves the right to modify this NDP at
any time with the permission of COTR. usTLD Administrator
will post its revised NDP on its Website at least thirty
(30) calendar days before it becomes effective.
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The Domain Name
Registration Center is brought to you in association with eNom, Inc.
eNom, Inc. has been accredited by ICANN, the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers. eNom, Inc. is a Member of
The Internet Council of Registrars (CORE).
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