Nebraska Alien Land Law (1921)

§ 5687. Aliens cannot acquire real estate. Aliens and corporations not incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska are hereby prohibited from acquiring title to or taking or holding any land, or real estate, or any leasehold interest extending for a period for more than five years or any other greater interest less than fee in any land, or real estate in this state by descent, devise, purchase or otherwise, only as hereinafter provided, except that the widow and heirs of aliens who have prior to March 16, 1889, acquired lands in this state under the laws thereof, may hold such lands by device, or descent for a period of ten years and no longer, and if at the end of such time herein limited, such lands, so acquired, have not been sold to a bona fide purchaser for value such lands or other interest therein shall revert and escheat to the State of Nebraska; and it shall be the duty of the county attorney in the counties where such lands are situated to enforce forfeitures of all such lands or other interests therein as provided by this article. Any resident alien may acquire title to lands in this state by devise or descent only, provided such alien shall be required to sell and convey said real property within five years from the date of acquiring the same and if he shall fail to dispose of the same to a bona fide purchaser for value within said time, said land and property shall revert and escheat to the State of Nebraska. No corporation organized under the laws of this state and no corporation organized under the laws of any other state or country, doing business in this state, which were organized to hold or are holding real estate, except real estate necessary for the construction and operation of railroads or real estate necessary for the purpose of erecting and maintaining manufacturing establishments or real estate lying within the corporate limits of cities and towns, shall elect aliens as members of its board of directors, or board of trustees in number sufficient to constitute a majority of such board, nor elect aliens as executive officers or managers nor shall have a majority of capital stock owned by aliens; and any such corporation violating the provisions of this section shall be construed and held to be an alien and within the provisions of this article applicable to alien persons. Any such domestic corporation violating the provisions of this article shall forfeit their charter and be dissolved. Any such foreign corporation violating the provisions of this article shall forfeit its right to do business in the State of Nebraska. . . . 

§ 5689. Aliens may dispose of real estate. Any alien who owned land in this state on the date of the passage and taking effect of this act may dispose of the same during his life to bona fide purchasers for value, and may take security for the purchase money with the same rights as to securities as a citizen of the United States except as hereinafter limited by this article.

§ 5690. Act not retroactive. This article shall not, nor shall anything in the statutes of Nebraska, prevent the holders, whether aliens or corporations not organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, of aliens upon real estate or any interest therein, whether heretofore or hereafter acquired, from holding or taking valid title to the real estate subject to such liens, nor shall it prevent any such alien or corporation from enforcing any lien or judgment for any debt or liability now existing, which may hereafter be created, nor from becoming a purchaser at any sale made for the purpose of collecting or enforcing the collection of such debt or judgment: provided, however, all lands so acquired shall be sold within ten years after the title thereto shall be perfected in such alien or foreign corporation, and in default of such sale within such time, such real estate shall revert and escheat to the State of Nebraska, as provided in this article: provided further, the provisions of this article shall not apply to the real estate necessary for the construction and operation of railroads; and provided further, nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit any alien or foreign corporation from purchasing and acquiring title to so much real estate as shall be necessary for the purpose of erecting and maintaining manufacturing establishments; and provided further, the provisions of this article shall not apply to any real estate lying within the corporate limits of cities and towns; and provided further, that the provisions of this article shall not apply to any real estate acquired by any alien prior to the passage and taking effect of this act, as long as such real property shall remain the property of such alien.