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United States Naturalization and Citizenship (view source)
Revision as of 08:44, 22 September 2013
, 22 September 2013Added section on records of derivative citizens (children)
(Updated and expanded the section on minor naturalization) |
(Added section on records of derivative citizens (children)) |
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==== Children ==== | ==== Children ==== | ||
Immigrant children, even today, receive their citizenship from their parents. Starting in 1790, children received derivative citizenship from their father (or mother in some cases). Derivative citizenship is defined as | Immigrant children, even today, receive their citizenship from their parents. Starting in 1790, children received derivative citizenship from their father (or mother in some cases). Derivative citizenship is defined as obtaining one's citizenship from or through another person. When the child's father became naturalized, his children under 16 (or 18, depending on the year) automatically became citizens. No paperwork was created at that time. From 1790 to 1929, to prove his or her citizenship, the child would need his or her father's certificate of naturalization. | ||
Under the Act of March 2, 1929, individuals who derived citizenship through a parent's naturalization could apply for and receive a Certificate of Citizenship in their own name. Applicants age 21 or older applied to the Bureau of Naturalization, later the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS, now [[www.uscis.gov/genealogy|USCIS]]), and that agency issues such certificates without any involvement of the courts. For this reason records of certificates of derivative citizenship are available only from [[www.uscis.gov/genealogy|USCIS]]. Many immigrants who derived citizenship in the 1870's, 1880's, or 1890's later applied for derivative certificates in the 1930's and 1940's. Certificates of Citizenship issued between 1929 and 1956 are among the [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=80cc499275c47310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b5f56782d3c37310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD USCIS Certificate Files (C-Files)], while those issued after 1956 are among the [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=9f594b185a157310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b5f56782d3c37310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD USCIS Alien Files (A-Files)]. | |||
The Act of May 26, 1824 allowed immigrants who arrived before their 18th birthday to, upon reaching age 21, petition for naturalization without filing a prior declaration of intention. Petitions filed under this provision are usually called "'''Minor Naturalizations'''" because they relate to individuals who arrived as a minor (but who were an adult, age 21 or older, when actually naturalized). They are also examples of "one paper naturalizations" because no declaration was required. Many courts combined the declaration and petition documents into a form for this document which may or may not include the word "minor" in the title. Regular forms will cite the 1824 Act. The minor naturalization provision was often abused and was repealed in 1906.<ref name="Newman">Newman, John J. ''American Naturalization Records 1790-1990.'' (Bountiful, UT: Heritage Quest, 1998).</ref> | The Act of May 26, 1824 allowed immigrants who arrived before their 18th birthday to, upon reaching age 21, petition for naturalization without filing a prior declaration of intention. Petitions filed under this provision are usually called "'''Minor Naturalizations'''" because they relate to individuals who arrived as a minor (but who were an adult, age 21 or older, when actually naturalized). They are also examples of "one paper naturalizations" because no declaration was required. Many courts combined the declaration and petition documents into a form for this document which may or may not include the word "minor" in the title. Regular forms will cite the 1824 Act. The minor naturalization provision was often abused and was repealed in 1906.<ref name="Newman">Newman, John J. ''American Naturalization Records 1790-1990.'' (Bountiful, UT: Heritage Quest, 1998).</ref> | ||