via the ARRL: FCC Poised to Exempt Amateurs from Foreign Adversary Reporting Requirements

At the urging of ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to exempt radio amateurs from foreign adversary reporting requirements. These rules would have applied to citizens of the listed countries (see below), including those living in the United States, who hold or are applying for an FCC license.

On January 8, 2026, the FCC released a draft Report and Order (R&O) [GN Docket No. 25-166; PDF) expected to be adopted at its January 29 meeting that will, as requested by ARRL, exempt radio amateurs from requirements that would have applied reporting requirements to every FCC-authorized radio amateur “subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary.” This included “(a)ny individual, wherever located, who is a citizen of a foreign adversary or a country controlled by a foreign adversary, and is not a United States citizen or permanent resident of the United States.” Foreign adversaries as defined in the draft R&O are: (1) China, including Hong Kong and Macau; (2) Cuba; (3) Iran; (4) North Korea; (5) Russian Federation; and (6) “Venezuelan politician Nicolás Maduro.”

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