Proclamation 4483, also known as the Granting Pardon for Violations of the Selective Service Act, was a presidential proclamation issued by Jimmy Carter on January 21, 1977. It granted unconditional pardons to all Americans who evaded the draft in the Vietnam War by violating the Military Selective Service Act. It was implemented through Executive Order 11967.

Draft evasion was common during the Vietnam War, especially among pacifists, conscientious objectors, and those involved in the anti-war movement. Blanket pardons had been used by presidents in the past to grant clemency following times of war, and the possibility of amnesty for draft evaders became a polarizing issue during the 1976 United States elections, as the United States' involvement in Vietnam ended during the second Nixon administration.

President Gerald Ford implemented Executive Order 11803, which allowed Vietnam draft evaders to receive conditional amnesty. Carter deliberated on the issue in his 1976 presidential campaign, deciding that unconditional blanket pardons were necessary for the country to move past Vietnam. Veterans' groups were split on the proclamation, and it was generally celebrated by pacifists and pro-amnesty groups, however it was criticized by some because it did not pardon deserters.

Article Two of the Constitution of the United States grants the president the power to issue pardons for federal crimes. Amid the Civil War, Congress passed a law in 1862 granting the president the power to issue blanket pardons and amnesties. This power was used by Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson to pardon secessionists. Harry S. Truman invoked the power of general pardons after World War II and during the Korean War to pardon desertion, as well as for convicted criminals who then served in the military.

The Supreme Court ruled in Ex parte Garland (1867) that pardons entirely absolve the recipient of guilt, and in Knote v. United States (1877) that pardons and amnesties are the same thing under federal law. Other cases in the 19th and 20th centuries determined that those who are offered pardons do not have to accept them, and that presidential pardons cannot be modified by Congress.

The Nationality Act of 1940 imposed loss of citizenship on American citizens who flee the United States to avoid service in times of war, or who are court-martialed for desertion. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 allowed for restoration of citizenship under these conditions should one return to serve in the armed forces during times of war. It also specified that leaving the United States after failure to comply with the Selective Service System indicated an attempt to avoid service. The National Emergencies Act of 1976 repealed nationality laws that allow loss of citizenship for fleeing military service in times of war, but it did not elaborate on the status of those who fled during the Vietnam War.

There were 1,857,304 men drafted into the Vietnam War, and approximately 210,000 of the drafted men evaded the draft through violation of the Selective Service Act. Four percent of draft evaders were convicted. Draft evaders and deserters who fled the country mostly went to Canada or to Sweden. Tens of thousands of draft evaders fled to Canada.

The Vietnam War was incredibly controversial in the United States. The popular public backlash to the war created an atmosphere where draft evasion was seen as a legitimate political stance as opposed to an act of cowardice or betrayal. A distinction emerged between those who evaded the draft before joining the military, and those who joined and then deserted. The former were primarily white and middle class, while the latter were primarily lower class and disproportionately consisted of racial minorities. Racial minorities and the poor were often unable to evade the draft prior to military service because they did not have enough money to take refuge in another country. Draft evaders remained the primary focus of protest movements, which were led by predominantly white and middle-class civil rights organizations and students groups. Deserters received less attention in public discourse.