47 C.F.R. § 1.5001
The petition for declaratory ruling required by § 1.5000(a)(1) and/or (2) shall contain the following information:
(c) Services covered.
(2) If the petition is filed in connection with an application for a radio station license or a spectrum leasing arrangement, or an application to acquire a license or spectrum leasing arrangement by assignment or transfer of control, specify for each named applicant:
(e) Disclosable interest holders—direct U.S. or foreign interests in the controlling U.S. parent. Paragraphs (e)(1) through (4) of this section apply only to petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1) and/or (2) for common carrier, aeronautical en route, and aeronautical fixed radio station applicants or licensees, as applicable. Petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1) for broadcast licensees shall provide the name of any individual or entity that holds, or would hold, directly, an attributable interest in the controlling U.S. parent of the petitioning broadcast station applicant(s) or licensee(s), as defined in the Notes to § 73.3555 of this chapter. Where no individual or entity holds, or would hold, directly, an attributable interest in the controlling U.S. parent (for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1)), the petition shall specify that no individual or entity holds, or would hold, directly, an attributable interest in the controlling U.S. parent, applicant(s), or licensee(s).
(4) Organization of controlling U.S. parent.
(f) Disclosable interest holders—indirect U.S. or foreign interests in the controlling U.S. parent. Paragraphs (f)(1) through (3) of this section apply only to petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1) and/or § 1.5000(a)(2) for common carrier, aeronautical en route, and aeronautical fixed radio station applicants or licensees, as applicable. Petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1) for broadcast licensees shall provide the name of any individual or entity that holds, or would hold, indirectly, an attributable interest in the controlling U.S. parent of the petitioning broadcast station applicant(s) or licensee(s), as defined in the Notes to § 73.3555 of this chapter. Where no individual or entity holds, or would hold, indirectly, an attributable interest in the controlling U.S. parent (for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1)), the petition shall specify that no individual or entity holds, or would hold, indirectly, an attributable interest in the controlling U.S. parent, applicant(s), or licensee(s).
(2) Ownership and control structure. Attach an exhibit that describes the ownership and control structure of the applicant(s) and/or licensee(s) that are the subject of the petition, including an ownership diagram and identification of the real party-in-interest disclosed in any companion applications. The ownership diagram should illustrate the petitioner's vertical ownership structure, including the controlling U.S. parent named in the petition (for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1)) and either:
(3) Each petitioning common carrier radio station applicant or licensee filing under § 1.5000(a)(2) shall identify and request specific approval for any foreign individual, entity, or group of such individuals or entities that holds, or would hold, directly, and/or indirectly through one or more intervening U.S.-organized entities that do not control the applicant or licensee, more than 5 percent of the equity and/or voting interests in the applicant or licensee unless the foreign investment is exempt under paragraph (i)(3) of this section. Equity and voting interests held indirectly in the applicant or licensee shall be calculated in accordance with the principles set forth in §§ 1.5002 and 1.5003. Equity and voting interests held directly in an applicant or licensee that is organized as a partnership or limited liability company shall be calculated in accordance with paragraph (i)(4)(ii)(C)(1) of this section.
(4) A foreign investment is exempt from the specific approval requirements of paragraphs (i)(1) and (2) of this section where:
(ii) The foreign individual or entity does not hold, and would not hold, a controlling interest in the petitioner or any controlling parent company, does not plan or intend to change or influence control of the petitioner or any controlling parent company, does not possess or develop any such purpose, and does not take any action having such purpose or effect. The Commission will presume, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that the following interests satisfy this criterion for exemption from the specific approval requirements in paragraphs (i)(1) and (2) of this section:
(A) Where the petitioning applicant or licensee, controlling U.S. parent, or entity holding a direct or indirect equity and/or voting interest in the applicant/licensee or controlling U.S. parent is a “public company,” as defined in § 1.5000(d), provided that the foreign holder is an institutional investor that is eligible to report its beneficial ownership interests in the company's voting, equity securities in excess of 5 percent (not to exceed 10 percent) pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13d-1(b), 17 CFR 240.13d-1(b), or a substantially comparable foreign law or regulation. This presumption shall not apply if the foreign individual, entity or group holding such interests is obligated to report its holdings in the company pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13d-1(a), 17 CFR 240.13d-1(a), or a substantially comparable foreign law or regulation.
(1) Example. Common carrier applicant (“Applicant”) is preparing a petition for declaratory ruling to request Commission approval for foreign ownership of its controlling U.S. parent to exceed the 25 percent benchmarks in section 310(b)(4) of the Act. Applicant does not currently hold any FCC licenses. Shares of controlling U.S. parent trade publicly on the New York Stock Exchange. Based on a review of its shareholder records, controlling U.S. parent has determined that its aggregate foreign ownership on any given day may exceed an aggregate 25 percent, including a 6 percent common stock interest held by a foreign-organized mutual fund (“Foreign Fund”). Controlling U.S. parent has confirmed that Foreign Fund is not currently required to report its interest pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13d-1(a) and instead is eligible to report its interest pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13d-1(b). Controlling U.S. parent also has confirmed that Foreign Fund does not hold any other interests in controlling U.S. parent's equity securities, whether of a class of voting or non-voting securities. Applicant may, but is not required to, request specific approval of Foreign Fund's 6 percent interest in controlling U.S. parent.
(2) Example. Where an institutional investor holds voting, equity securities that are subject to reporting under Exchange Act Rule 13d-1, 17 CFR 240.13d-1, or a substantially comparable foreign law or regulation, in addition to equity securities that are not subject to such reporting, the investor's total capital stock interests may be aggregated and treated as exempt from the 5 percent specific approval requirement in paragraphs (i)(1) and (2) of this section so long as the aggregate amount of the institutional investor's holdings does not exceed 10 percent of the company's total capital stock or voting rights and the investor is eligible to certify under Exchange Act Rule 13d-1(b), 17 CFR 240.13d-1(b), or a substantially comparable foreign law or regulation that it has acquired its capital stock interests in the ordinary course of business and not with the purpose nor with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the company. In calculating foreign equity and voting interests, the Commission does not consider convertible interests such as options, warrants and convertible debentures until converted, unless specifically requested by the petitioner, i.e., where the petitioner is requesting approval so those rights can be exercised in a particular case without further Commission approval.
(C) Where the petitioning applicant or licensee, controlling U.S. parent, or entity holding a direct and/or indirect equity and/or voting interest in the licensee or controlling U.S. parent is “privately held,” as defined in § 1.5000(d), and is organized as a limited partnership, limited liability company (“LLC”), or limited liability partnership (“LLP”), provided that the foreign holder is “insulated” in accordance with the criteria specified in § 1.5003.
(1) For purposes of identifying foreign interests that require specific approval, where the petitioning applicant, licensee, or controlling U.S. parent is itself organized as a partnership or LLC, a general partner, uninsulated limited partner, uninsulated LLC member, and non-member LLC manager shall be deemed to hold a controlling (100 percent) voting interest in the applicant, licensee, or controlling U.S. parent.
(2) For purposes of identifying foreign interests that require specific approval, where interests are held indirectly in the petitioning applicant, licensee, or controlling U.S. parent through one or more intervening partnerships or LLCs, a general partner, uninsulated limited partner, uninsulated LLC members, and non-member LLC managers shall be deemed to hold the same voting interest as the partnership or LLC holds in the company situated in the next lower tier of the petitioner's vertical ownership chain and, ultimately, the same voting interest as the partnership or LLC is calculated as holding in the controlling U.S. parent (for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1)) or in the applicant or licensee (for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(2)). See § 1.5002(b)(2)(ii)(A) and (b)(2)(iii)(A). Where a limited partner or LLC member is insulated, the limited partner's or LLC member's voting interest in the controlling U.S. parent (for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1)), or in the applicant or licensee (for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(2)) is calculated as equal to the limited partner's or LLC member's equity interest in the controlling U.S. parent or in the applicant or licensee, respectively. See § 1.5002(b)(2)(ii)(B) and (b)(2)(iii)(B). Thus, depending on the particular ownership structure presented in the petition, a foreign general partner, uninsulated limited partner, LLC member, or non-member LLC manager of an intervening partnership or LLC may be deemed to hold an indirect voting interest in the controlling U.S. parent or in the petitioning applicant or licensee that requires specific approval because the voting interest exceeds the 5 percent amount specified in paragraphs (i)(1) and (2) of this section and, unless the voting interest is otherwise insulated at a lower tier of the petitioner's vertical ownership chain, the voting interest would not qualify as exempt from specific approval under this paragraph (i)(4)(ii)(C) even in circumstances where the voting interest does not exceed 10 percent.
(3) A finding that a foreign individual or entity is deemed to hold a 100 percent voting interest in the controlling U.S. parent for purposes of § 1.5001(i)(4)(ii)(C)(1) or a 50 percent or greater voting interest in the controlling U.S. parent pursuant to § 1.5001(i)(4)(ii)(C)(2), does not indicate that the interest constitutes de jure control for purposes of compliance with Section 310(d) of the Act.
(6) The minority shareholder protections referenced in paragraph (i)(3)(ii)(B) of this section consist of the following rights:
(j) Specific approval information. For each foreign individual or entity named in response to paragraph (i) of this section, provide the following information:
(2) In the case of a business organization:
(ii)
(iii)
(k) Requests for advance approval. The petitioner may, but is not required to, request advance approval in its petition for any foreign individual or entity named in response to paragraph (i) of this section to increase its direct and/or indirect equity and/or voting interests in the controlling U.S. parent of the broadcast, common carrier or aeronautical radio station licensee, for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(1), and/or in the common carrier licensee, for petitions filed under § 1.5000(a)(2), above the percentages specified in response to paragraph (i) of this section. Requests for advance approval shall be made as follows:
(m) Submission of petition and responses to standard questions to the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector. For each petition subject to a referral to the executive branch pursuant to § 1.40001, the petitioner must submit:
(n) Certifications.
(1) Broadcast applicants and licensees shall make the following certifications by which they agree:
(ii)
(2) Common carrier applicants, licensees, or spectrum lessees shall make the following certifications by which they agree:
(ii) To make communications to, from, or within the United States, as well as records thereof, available in a form and location that permits them to be subject to a valid and lawful request or legal process in accordance with U.S. law, including but not limited to:
(iv)