.us Can I reg dot us if I am not a USA resident?

[mosaic]

m not from usa.
Can i reg dot us?

 

[JoshHendo]

I can't see why not, you should just have to pay the normal price I would think.

 

[Badger]

Yup, so long as you use a US registrar

 

[primacomputer]

And the way things really are:
http://www.neustar.us/faqs/index.html#who_can_register

 

[JoshHendo]

Oh, that is a shame. not that I would want a us domain name, I like .com's and .net's better

 

[Sabre]

You technically HAVE to be associated with the US in some way to register the domain... however im pretty sure you can buy one off another domainer legally =)

 

[Mystic]

i got loads of .us from domainsite.com registered myself, i am a non profit organization that regularly visits the US hehe

 

[Joseph]

You can reg them if your on the moon :p

As long as you do it through a usa register like godaddy

 

[Badger]

You can reg them if your on the moon :p

As long as you do it through a usa register like godaddy

Exactly, just do it...

The rule is so ambiguous, its totally unenforceable.

And about as enforceable as someone buying up a .co.uk and living in Nevada.

Doesnt get policed and never will.....

 

[mosaic]

BTW ENOM is resided in US?

 

[ThreeD]

I just regged a couple of .us the other day, and I live on the moon :D They still haven't picked up on me muahaha..

 

[primacomputer]

The rule is neither ambiguous nor unenforceable. Many ccTLDs have similar restrictions. Neustar have even begin to address the question of proxy registration—In short, not allowed.

You may be able to get away with registering a name without meeting the requirements, but you have no legal right to it. If that still sounds like a good deal then you might be interested in a name I have for sale. Brooklyn.Bridge.US

 

[Badger]

The rule is neither ambiguous nor unenforceable. Many ccTLDs have similar restrictions. Neustar have even begin to address the question of proxy registration—In short, not allowed.

You may be able to get away with registering a name without meeting the requirements, but you have no legal right to it. If that still sounds like a good deal then you might be interested in a name I have for sale. Brooklyn.Bridge.US

Exactly, many ccTLDs have this restriction of which only a handful police..

I hope what your saying isnt a case of "its .US, how dare you foreigners flaunt the rules and engage in profiteering from our country"

And id also be interested to hear how Neustar is addressing these naughty proxy registrants. I suppose they could go check all those 'oh so accurate' whois records.

But as you say its 'not allowed'. :p

But a lawful business connection with the US is not so hard to prove for foreigners and requires no physical presence.

 

[nickd1]

I just regged a couple of .us the other day, and I live on the moon :D They still haven't picked up on me muahaha..

Speaking of the moon, soon they'll probably come out with a moon extension (.moon) as mankind is expected to live on the moon one day. I'll register IWantToGoBackHome.moon. Then it'll be a mars extension (.mars) Then.............

 

[barefoottech]

I have a Couple *.us Domains and I had less hassle proving a US Connection
then I did for my .AU Domains And I am an aussie living in Aust
.

 

[primacomputer]

Exactly, many ccTLDs have this restriction of which only a handful police..

Most ccTLDs with special requirements don't police them they simply verify documents up front every time a name is registered or transferred. It's a lot less work than policing and very effective.

I hope what your saying isnt a case of "its .US, how dare you foreigners flaunt the rules and engage in profiteering from our country"

Not at all. We each make our own decisions as to whether we will follow the rules or break them and face the consequences. Personally I see great potential in the fact that the rules are not being enforced and people are registering .us names without the right to own them. This provides a much wider market for .us names and helps drive the prices up. When the prices become attractive I'm sure many people with the right to own names will find names they want which are registered by people who aren't allowed to own them. They will then simply report this and pick up the names for regfee after they are deleted!

And id also be interested to hear how Neustar is addressing these naughty proxy registrants. I suppose they could go check all those 'oh so accurate' whois records.

They made their position clear in writing to registrars and got the Commerce Department to issue a ruling stating that the everyone has until January 2006 to have their contact information or loose their domains. I assume after the deadline passes they will check the whois records. Maybe they will issue warning letters and offer an extended grace period. Maybe they will simply delete the names.

But as you say its 'not allowed'. :p

But a lawful business connection with the US is not so hard to prove for foreigners and requires no physical presence.

I'm sure you're correct. Unfortunately a "lawful business connection" is not the requirement. The requirement is a “bona fide presence“ which is assessed on a case by case bases per the defenition in section B.3 (Core Policy Requirements) of the Neustar proposal to the US Department of Commerce.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/usca/cafiles/SectionB_3.pdf
The relevant section reads:

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 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;
· Maintains an office or other facility in the United States for a business, noncommercial,
educational, or governmental purpose and not solely or primarily to permit it to register for
a usTLD domain name; or
· Derives a material portion of its revenues or net income from sales to purchasers located in
the United States.

I'm not saying I like the policy, or even approve of it. I'm just saying that these are the rules. People are going to break them, but let them do it from a position of knowledge rather than ignorance. If, knowing this, someone wants to take a gamble that they can register and sell a name before they get caught then fine. But I would really feel sorry for someone who spent a couple years developing and building a site only to have his domain name taken away simply because some guy on a forum told him it was OK for anyone to register a .us.

 

[mrleewood]

All people are allowed.I think.

 

[Tippy]

I only own 1 .us which was registered via my US partner/friend/connection... long time no talk Chris, hows it hanging

 

[Badger]

But I would really feel sorry for someone who spent a couple years developing and building a site only to have his domain name taken away simply because some guy on a forum told him it was OK for anyone to register a .us.

Well i dont think anyone is saying just go ahead and regged. But its another to be the prophet of doom and install a sense that this is going to happen when IMHO there isn't a chance in hell.

Of course, if you are a foreigner in possession of sex.us then you have a problamo but for the common or garden registration then it'd be the same as someone from the US registering a .co.uk.

And, in fact, if you did own a valuable .us and some nasty American wanted it from you purely on the basis that you were a foreigner, his greedy little mits wouldnt get their hands on it as easily as one might think. For, to cite the procedure, (and heres the important parts) First up, the registrant would have 30 days to show his US links. Secondly, Failing to do so would still then give the registrant a further 30 days to obtainhis US credentials. If you owned namepros.us with 10,000 hits a day and yet you lived in Kathmandu you would have 2 periods of grace to make good your US connections.

So, aside from it being wrong or improper, the point of fact is that if you dont have a US connection or residency, you can go get it if your domain is worth it!

Nice post Prima btw

 

[primacomputer]

At this point no one knows what Neustar is going to do come January next year. It could be nothing, but based on how NeuStar has been behaving recently I wouldn't be too complaisant. The problem is anyone can initiate a challenge. Perhaps you piss someone off. Perhaps someone just wants to cause mischief. Perhaps someone wants to take it upon themselves to enforce the requirements. Whatever the case it means problems for people who don't comply with the requirements.

Also, I think the option to “cure the US Nexus deficiency” is just a cop-out to let them pretend they are being fair. In reality I don't see this happening. The problem is nearly anything you can do to qualify can not be done “solely or primarily to permit it to register for a usTLD domain name”. And who judges your intentions? Probably an American from NeuStar who doesn't want foreigners to have .us names.

Of the three options (regularly perform activities , maintain an office, derive revenue) the only one you might be able to pull off at the last minute and not be subject to the intent clause in to derive revenue. Basically sell your house to an American when your .us name is threatened and you will derive a material portion of your revenue from America. Perhaps this is all part of the evil plan

The thing that's really screwed up is that you can't even transfer the name when it's reported. If they would at least let you sell it on the someone, or even give it away to a friend. But no, you're screwed.

If you have some really nice .us names then it would be a good idea to be prepared to qualify. Maybe even rent a mailing address in the US and try to stay under the radar. But if you're Joe average domainer (make that Yusef average domainer) I think you are potentially taking a big risk.