Fewer Forms, Less Data: MARAD Simplifies Citizenship Filings for Vessel Owners

Maritime attorneys Sean Pribyl and Allison Skopec and Summer Associate Leilany Rodriguez co-authored an article for gCaptain about changes to the process for filing affidavits of U.S. citizenship with the Maritime Administration (MARAD). The amendments, published on June 4, 2026, pertain to promotional programs under 46 C.F.R. Part 355 and the American Fisheries Act (AFA) program under 46 C.F.R. Part 356. Among the updates, MARAD removed provisions requiring personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security numbers or birth dates for corporate officers, in additional to streamlining recertification for entities whose ownership, officer and director information has not changed since the last filing. In their article, the authors summarize these and other changes before explaining what they mean for companies in practice. They advise entities with upcoming filings to consider using the new streamlined certification if applicable, review the revised affidavit requirements and, for publicly traded entities subject to the AFA, evaluate which method best fits their shareholder monitoring systems. Overall, the piece concludes, the amendments reduce filing burdens while preserving the obligation to demonstrate U.S. citizenship eligibility, and filers should take advantage of the new procedures.

READ: Fewer Forms, Less Data: MARAD Simplifies Citizenship Filings for Vessel Owners