Answers

1. What is .US?
   
   .US is the official country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States within the global domain name system (DNS).
   
   
2. What makes .US unique and why do registrants need it?
   
   .US is the only means to establish an American address on the Internet. Soon, all U.S. residents, government entities, public service organizations, and businesses will be able to establish an American identity on the Internet with a short memorable domain name. (e.g., johnsmith.us, publicservice.us, mycompany.us).
   
   Market research has shown that .US names will be very popular with consumers for applications like e-mail, digital identity, and personal Web sites. Government and public interest organizations will use .US addresses to enable citizen-centric e-Gov applications and to serve the needs of the American people. Businesses will use .US domain names to promote themselves as American companies to inspire consumer confidence and to encourage consumers to "buy American."
   
   
3. When will second level .US domain names be available?
   
   Availability of .US domain names at the second level (e.g., johnsmith.us, publicservice.us, mycompany.us) is expected in the next several months. A phased introduction schedule will be posted on OpenSRS in the coming weeks.
   
   
4. Who can register a .US domain name?
   
   Any U.S. citizen or resident, as well as any business or organization, including federal, state, and local government with a bona fide presence in the United States can register a .US domain name.
   
   One of the following eligibility requirements must be met:
   1. A natural person who is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories or whose primary place of domicile is in the United States of America or any of its possessions, or
   2. Any entity or organization that is 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 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, or
   3. An entity or organization (including federal, state, or local government of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof) that has a bona fide presence in the United States. See Section B.3.1 of the NeuStar proposal to the Department of Commerce for details concerning what constitutes a "bona fide presence."
   
   
   
5. What is the price of a .US domain name?
   
   Sunrise registrations are required to be registered for a minimum five-year period. The cost is $95 for the five-year period. Each additional year (up to a maximum ten years) is $19.
   
   Real-time registrations are required to be registered for a minimum one-year period and maximum ten-year period. The cost per domain year is $19.
   
   
6. What are some of the expected changes to .US?
   
   Soon, for the first time in history, .US registrations will be available at the second level (e.g., johnsmith.us, publicservice.us, mycompany.us). Currently names are only available in the "locality space" at the third level and above (e.g., www.county.arlington.va.us).
   
   
7. What will happen to existing .US domain names?
   
   Existing .US registrants (domain name holders) within the "locality space" will retain rights to their existing Internet addresses. In fact, existing domain name holders will benefit from many of the operational improvements and improved security and service levels NeuStar will introduce within .US.
   
   
8. How will current Delegees (Delegated Managers) be affected?
   
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   Delegated Managers will continue to play their existing role in the "locality space." Currently, no new delegation requests will be accepted. NeuStar will be requesting contact information from each of the existing Delegated Managers. Delegated Managers will be required to meet existing and new operational procedures designed to improve the overall operational efficiency and improve service to domain name holders within the locality space.