[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 10]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.957-4]

[Page 365-368]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.957-4  United States person defined.

    (a) Basic rule--(1) In general. The term ``United States person'' 
has the same meaning for purposes of sections 951 through 964 which it 
has under section 7701(a)(30) and in the regulations thereunder, except 
as provided in section 957(d) and paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this 
section which provide, with respect to corporations organized in 
possessions of the United States, that certain residents of such 
possessions are not United States persons. The effect of determining 
that an individual is not a United States person for such purposes is to 
exclude such individual in determining whether a foreign corporation 
created or organized in, or under the laws of, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
Islands, or any possession of the United States (other than Puerto Rico 
or the Virgin Islands) is a controlled foreign corporation. See Sec. 
1.957-1 for definition of the term ``controlled foreign corporation''; 
Sec. 1.957-2 for a special limitation on the amount of subpart F income 
of certain controlled foreign corporations deriving income from the 
insurance of United States risks; and Sec. 1.957-3 for the exclusion of 
certain corporations organized in United States possessions from the 
definition of controlled foreign corporation.
    (2) Special provisions applicable to possessions of the United 
States. For purposes of section 957(d) and this section--
    (i) Possession of the United States defined. The term ``possession 
of the United States'' has the same meaning which it has under paragraph 
(b)(2) of Sec. 1.957-3.
    (ii) Determination of residence in a possession. Whether an 
individual is a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 
or any other possession of the United States, shall be determined in 
general by applying to the facts and circumstances in each case the 
principles of Sec. Sec. 1.871-2 through 1.871-5, relating to the 
determination of residence in the United States.
    (b) Puerto Rico corporation and resident. With respect only to a 
foreign corporation created or organized in, or under the laws of, 
Puerto Rico--
    (1) If an individual (who, without regard to this paragraph, is a 
United States person) is a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico during his 
entire taxable year in which or with which the taxable year of such 
foreign corporation ends, and
    (2) If 50 percent or more of the gross income of such foreign 
corporation is derived from sources within Puerto Rico, as determined 
under Sec. 1.863-6, for the 3-year period (or for such part of such 3-
year period as such foreign corporation has been in existence) ending 
with the close of the taxable year of such foreign corporation which--
    (i) Ends with or within the taxable year next preceding such taxable 
year of such individual and at any time, during the period beginning 
with the beginning of such latter taxable year of such individual and 
ending not later than one year after the close of such taxable year of 
such foreign corporation, such individual directly owns stock in such 
foreign corporation, or
    (ii) Ends within such taxable year of such individual and at any 
time, during the period beginning after the close of such taxable year 
of such foreign corporation and ending with the close of such taxable 
year of such individual, such individual directly owns stock in such 
foreign corporation,

then, such individual shall not be considered a United States person 
with respect to such corporation for the taxable year of such 
corporation which ends with or within the taxable year of such person. 
The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following 
examples:

    Example 1. Foreign corporation R, incorporated under the laws of 
Puerto Rico, is wholly owned by D, a United States citizen. D and 
corporation R use the calendar year as the taxable year. For 1961, 1962, 
and 1963, 60 percent of the gross income of R Corporation is derived 
from sources within Puerto Rico and 40 percent of the gross income of R 
Corporation is derived from sources within Panama, as determined under 
Sec. 1.863-6. During all of 1964, D is a bona fide resident of Puerto 
Rico. D is not a United States person with

[[Page 366]]

respect to R Corporation for 1964. Accordingly, R Corporation is not a 
controlled foreign corporation at any time in 1964.
    Example 2. Foreign corporation R is incorporated on January 1, 1962, 
under the laws of Puerto Rico. D, a United States citizen, owns all the 
one class of stock of R Corporation throughout 1962 and 1963. D and 
corporation R use the calendar year as the taxable year. For 1962, 55 
percent of the gross income of R Corporation is derived from sources 
within Puerto Rico and 45 percent of the gross income of R Corporation 
is derived from sources within the Netherlands Antilles, as determined 
under Sec. 1.863-6. For 1963, 40 percent of the gross income of R 
Corporation is derived from sources within Puerto Rico and 60 percent of 
the gross income of R Corporation is derived from sources within the 
Netherlands Antilles, as determined under Sec. 1.863-6. During all of 
1963 D is a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico. With respect to R 
Corporation, D is not a United States person for 1963 because D is a 
bona fide resident of Puerto Rico for all of 1963; 55 percent of the 
gross income of R Corporation for 1962 is derived from sources within 
Puerto Rico; and D owns stock in R Corporation at some time during 1963. 
Accordingly, R Corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation at 
any time in 1963. In making this determination, it is immaterial that R 
Corporation does not satisfy the 50-percent gross income test for 1963, 
the taxable year during all of which D is a resident of Puerto Rico.
    Example 3. Foreign corporation R is incorporated on January 1, 1962, 
under the laws of Puerto Rico. D, a United States citizen, owns all the 
one class of stock of R Corporation throughout 1962 and 1963. D and 
corporation R use the calendar year as the taxable year. For 1962, 45 
percent of the gross income of R Corporation is derived from sources 
within Puerto Rico and 55 percent of the gross income of R Corporation 
is derived from sources within the Netherlands Antilles, as determined 
under Sec. 1.863-6. For 1963, 60 percent of the gross income of R 
Corporation is derived from sources within Puerto Rico and 40 percent of 
the gross income of R Corporation is derived from sources within the 
Netherlands Antilles, as determined under Sec. 1.863-6. With respect to 
R Corporation, D is a United States person for 1963, since R Corporation 
does not satisfy the 50-percent gross income test for 1962. Accordingly, 
R Corporation is a controlled foreign corporation for all of 1963.
    Example 4. Foreign corporation S is incorporated on July 1, 1962, 
under the laws of Puerto Rico. Corporation S uses the fiscal year ending 
on June 30 as the taxable year. For its fiscal year ending on June 30, 
1963, 55 percent of the gross income of S Corporation is derived from 
sources within Puerto Rico and 45 percent of the gross income of S 
Corporation is derived from sources within Switzerland, as determined 
under Sec. 1.863-6. For its fiscal years ending on June 30, 1964, and 
June 30, 1965, respectively, 40 percent of the gross income of S 
Corporation is derived from sources within Puerto Rico and 60 percent of 
the gross income of S Corporation is derived from sources within 
Switzerland, as determined under Sec. 1.863-6. B, a United States 
citizen, who uses the calendar year as the taxable year, is a bona fide 
resident of Puerto Rico for all of 1964. On July 1, 1964, B acquires, 
and holds throughout the remainder of 1964, all of the one class of 
stock of S Corporation. With respect to S Corporation for its taxable 
year ending June 30, 1964, B is a United States person because--
    (a) Although B is a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico for his entire 
year 1964 in which ends S Corporation's taxable year ending June 30, 
1964, and S Corporation meets the 50-percent gross income test for the 
applicable part of the 3-year period ending June 30, 1963, B does not 
own stock in S Corporation during the period beginning January 1, 1964, 
and ending June 30, 1964, and
    (b) Although B owns stock in S Corporation during the period 
beginning July 1, 1964, and ending December 31, 1964, S Corporation does 
not meet the 50-percent gross income test for the applicable part of the 
3-year period ending June 30, 1964.

Accordingly, with respect to B, S Corporation is a controlled foreign 
corporation for its entire taxable year ending June 30, 1964.
    Example 5. The facts are the same as in example 4, except B buys all 
of the stock of S Corporation on June 1, 1964, rather than on July 1, 
1964. With respect to S Corporation for its taxable year ending June 30, 
1964, B is not a United States person because B is a bona fide resident 
of Puerto Rico for his entire taxable year 1964 in which ends S 
Corporation's taxable year ending June 30, 1964; S Corporation meets the 
50-percent gross income test for the applicable part of the 3-year 
period ending June 30, 1963; and B owns stock in S Corporation during 
the period beginning January 1, 1964, and ending June 30, 1964. 
Accordingly, with respect to B, S Corporation is not a controlled 
foreign corporation at any time during its taxable year ending June 30, 
1964.

    (c) Virgin Islands corporation and President. With respect only to a 
foreign corporation created or organized in, or under the laws of, the 
Virgin Islands--
    (1) If an individual (who, without regard to this paragraph, is a 
United States person) is a bona fide resident of the Virgin Islands as 
of the last day of his taxable year in which or with which the taxable 
year of such foreign corporation ends, and

[[Page 367]]

    (2) Such individual's income tax obligations under subtitle A 
(relating to income taxes) of the Code for his taxable year are 
satisfied, in accordance with section 28(a) of the Revised Organic Act 
of the Virgin Islands (48 U.S.C. 1642), by paying the tax on his income 
derived from all sources, both within and outside the Virgin Islands, 
into the treasury of the Virgin Islands, then, such individual shall not 
be considered a United States person with respect to such corporation 
for the taxable year of such corporation which ends with or within the 
taxable year of such person. The application of this paragraph may be 
illustrated by the following examples:

    Example 1. Foreign corporation S, incorporated under the laws of the 
Virgin Islands, is wholly owned by D, a United States citizen. 
Corporation S uses the fiscal year ending on June 30 as the taxable 
year, and D uses the calendar year as the taxable year. From September 
1, 1963, to December 31, 1964, inclusive, D is a bona fide resident of 
the Virgin Islands. For 1963 and 1964, D satisfies his income tax 
obligations under section 28(a) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin 
Islands by paying the tax on his income derived from all sources, both 
within and outside the Virgin Islands, into the treasury of the Virgin 
Islands. With respect to S Corporation for its taxable years ending June 
30, 1963, and 1964, D is not a United States person. Accordingly, S 
Corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation for such taxable 
years of such corporation.
    Example 2. The facts are the same as in example 1, except that from 
August 15, 1964, to December 31, 1964, inclusive, D is a bona fide 
resident of the United States. Thus, D does not satisfy his income tax 
obligations for 1964 under section 28(a) of the Revised Organic Act of 
the Virgin Islands. The result is the same as in example 1, except that 
with respect to S Corporation for its taxable year ending June 30, 1964, 
D is a United States person and, accordingly, S Corporation is a 
controlled foreign corporation for such taxable year of such 
corporation.

    (d) Corporation and resident of other United States possessions. 
With respect only to a foreign corporation created or organized in, or 
under the laws of, any possession of the United States (other than 
Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands)--
    (1) If an individual (who, without regard to this paragraph, is a 
United States person) is a bona fide resident of such possession during 
his entire taxable year in which or with which the taxable year of such 
foreign corporation ends, and
    (2) Any part or all of such individual's income (other than amounts 
includible in his gross income under section 951(a)) for his taxable 
year derived, in accordance with Sec. 1.863-6, from sources within any 
possession of the United States (whether or not the possession of which 
such individual is a resident) is not, as a result of the application of 
section 931, included in his gross income for his taxable year,

then, such individual shall not be considered a United States person 
with respect to such corporation for the taxable year of such 
corporation which ends with or within the taxable year of such person. 
Subparagraph (2) of this paragraph shall apply only for purposes of 
determining whether an individual is a United States person; after such 
determination has been made, section 931 shall be applied to the gross 
income (including amounts includible in gross income under section 
951(a)) of such individual to determine the amount to be excluded from 
such individual's gross income under section 931. The application of 
this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

    Example 1. Foreign corporation R, incorporated under the laws of 
Guam, is wholly owned by D, a United States citizen. D and corporation R 
use the calendar year as the taxable year and the cash receipts and 
disbursements method of accounting. D is a bona fide resident of Guam 
for all of 1963 and all of his income of $30,000 (determined without 
taking into account amounts includible in his gross income under section 
951(a)) is derived from sources within Guam. Of such income, $24,000 is 
received in Guam and $6,000 is erceived in the United States. It meets 
the 3-year test of section 931(a) and, but for the application of 
section 931(b), all of his income of $30,000 would be excluded from 
gross income for 1963 under section 931. However, in accordance with 
section 931(b) and paragraph (c) of Sec. 1.931-1, the $6,000 received 
in the United States is included in gross income. Nevertheless, since 
part ($24,000) of his income of $30,000 for 1963 derived, in accordance 
with Sec. 1.863-6, from sources within Guam is not, as a result of the 
application of section 931, included in his gross income, D is not a 
United States person with respect to R Corporation for its taxable year 
1963. Accordingly, R Corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation 
for its taxable year 1963.

[[Page 368]]

    Example 2. The facts are the same as in example 1, except that, 
instead of receiving the $6,000 in the United States, D receives $10,000 
of the $30,000 in Guam for services performed for an agency of the 
United States. Under Sec. 1.863-6, all of D's income for 1963 is income 
derived from sources within Guam. However, since D's income of $10,000 
from the agency of the United States is deemed under section 931 (i) to 
be derived from sources within the United States for purposes of section 
931, at least 80 percent of his gross income for 1963, determined 
without the application of section 931, is not derived from sources 
within Guam. Accordingly, since no part of D's gross income of $30,000 
for 1963 derived, in accordance with Sec. 1.863-6, from sources within 
Guam is, as a result of the application of section 931, excluded from 
gross income for 1963, D is a United States person with respect to R 
Corporation for R Corporation's taxable year 1963. Accordingly, R 
Corporation is a controlled foreign corporation for its taxable year 
1963.

[T.D. 6775, 29 FR 16082, Dec. 2, 1964]