What are the registration requirements for .US domains?
In order to register a .US domain, the domain owner must meet one or more of the following requirements:
- The owner can be a natural person, United States citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America; or
- The owner can be a United States entity or organization that is incorporated the United States of America; or
- The owner can be a foreign entity or organization that has a presence in the United States of America.
Note:
The United States of America is understood to comprise the fifty U.S. states, the District of Columbia and any of the United States territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands)
What does .US stand for?
.US represents the official domain extension or internet country code top-level domain of the United States. Registration is only granted to US citizens, US residents or companies having a physical presence in the US. The domain suffix .US was created in the year 1985 and is now being administered by Neustar. As of 2016, there are almost 2 million websites ending in .US domain.
The initials “US” is also used for other abbreviations and acronyms. Aside from United States, it can also refer to ultrasound (medical), understudy (theatre), under saddle (equestrian), upstream (engineering), or unserviceable (business). However, it is most commonly used to refer to the United States of America.
Why register a .US domain?
The United States of America is the most powerful country in the world not only in terms of military defense, infrastructure and technology, but in terms of economy as well. US citizens enjoy the highest standard of living and lowest unemployment rate. The average household expenditure is also reported to be around 5 times bigger than Japan’s. More so, the US government implements regulations and policies favorable to local businesses and foreign investors. Because of the prosperous economy, culture that encourages entrepreneurship and startups, and a legal system conducive for operating a business, countless international companies choose to invest in the US. There are too many opportunities to succeed and make money in the US markets.
Reasons to choose .US domain extension:
- Companies need a .US suffix for their website to establish their affiliation with the American consumers. It is the most logical approach to help your target customers to find your company website.
- It is the first step to create an American identity for your company website. Brand expansion is made easier since .US domain encourages users to trust the business.
- Get the exact website URL address that you want for your business. Unlike with .com suffix where almost all domain names are already taken, you can still reserve a unique and catchy name for your business with a .US suffix.
- If you already have a .com website, protect your brand from being stolen by competitors by having a registered .US domain as well. If possible, register your brand name in all available domain extensions like .org, .biz, or .net.
- Demonstrate the legitimacy of your website. It shows that you have the legal requirements to register a website with .US suffix. Consumer trust level will be higher since they know that your website is not a scam.
- Attract consumers who believe in “buying all American” goods.
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