United States Naturalization Records: Difference between revisions

= United States Naturalization Records  =

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| [[Naturalizations Sources#United_States_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Services|About USCIS]]

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| [[Naturalizations Sources#Online_Searchable_Naturalization_Indexes_.26_Records|About Online Searchable Naturalization Indexes & Records]]

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:*Port of arrival  

:*Country of origin or allegiance

:*Birth date & place of immigrant  

:*Marital status<br>

:'''Denization'''--A type of naturalization used to obtain land.&nbsp; You could buy and sell land, but could not hold public office. There were no political privileges associated with denization.

:'''Collective citizenship'''--This naturalization process was used to naturalize a group of people without using documents.&nbsp; Collective naturalization happened when the United States became a country and all those living in the country (except Native Americans and African Americans) were collectively and automatically made US citizens.<br>

The first naturalization law was enacted in 1790. Over the yeas, naturalization laws changed numerous times, but generally speaking the process required a [[Portal-United States Naturalization. Naturalization Records-Declaration of Intention|Declaration of Intention]] and a [[Portal-United States Naturalization. Naturalization Records-Petition|Petition]] to be filed to become a citizen (Except during the years 1798 to 1828.&nbsp;see [[United States Naturalization Records#Report_and_Registry.2C_1798-1828|Report and Registry]] listed below).&nbsp; After 1906, several&nbsp;other documents were created during the naturalization process.  

:*Occupation

When the INS was created in 1906, other naturalization records were created in the processing of naturalizations and for keeping track of immigrants in the United States.&nbsp; Copies of these documents are only in the possession of the former INS, now [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)].&nbsp; A summary of some of these documents are listed below:  

:*Date and place of registration<ref>United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, :Alien Registration Forms on Microfilm, 1940-1944</ref>

Naturalization records before 1790 differ vastly from later naturalization records.&nbsp; Colonial naturalization consist mostly of lists of those that took the oath of allegience. The colony where the immigrant was living gave naturalizations.  

''Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s- 1900s ''is available in book form, CD-ROM, and Ancestry.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are several sets and supplements that have been added to the original publication. The most current supplement, 2009 is in book form and not&nbsp;included in&nbsp;the CD-ROM or Ancestry.com database.  

You may need to search the records of each place where your immigrant ancestor lived to locate both naturalization records. He may have filed the declartion of intention in one court in one state and filed the petition several years later in another court and state. Begin first by looking for naturalization records in the courts of the county or city where the immigrant settled.&nbsp; Most likely the petition (second papers) was filed in that county or city.  

The Declaration of Intent (Form 2202) was completed in triplicate. The court kept the original and gave copies to the applicant and the Bureau. The applicant was to use the declaration to apply for the petition.&nbsp; If the declaration is still in possession of the family, most likely the immigrant did not complete the process and was not a citizen.&nbsp; The Petition for Naturalization (Form 2204) was kept by the court and a duplicate was sent to the INS. The Certificate of Naturalization (Form 2207) was given to the new citizen. A duplicate was sent to the INS and the court kept the stub.  

In 1929 the INS changed the forms and required photographs of the applicants. Because the new forms were not distributed immediately, many state courts ceased naturalizing.&nbsp; However, naturalizations were still taking place in local county courts as well as federal courts and the records of any court still naturalizing should be consulted to locate your ancestor's records.&nbsp;&nbsp;  

Immigrants could naturalize in any court that performed naturalizations.&nbsp;That included city, county, state and federal courts. After 1906, federal courts naturalized many immigrants, however, other local courts continued the&nbsp;naturalize as late as 1985.&nbsp;Check all possible courts in the area your ancestor lived.  

Because immigrants were allowed to naturalize in any court, they often selected the most convenient court.&nbsp; If they lived in New Jersey but worked in New York City, also check the courts of New York City for the naturalization records.&nbsp; If an immigrant lived on the border of a county, they may have naturalized in the adjacent county because the courthouse may have been closer.&nbsp;  

:'''[http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/naturalization.html ''Online Searchable Naturalization Indexes and Records'']'''''--This website contains links to naturalization indexes and records.&nbsp; It is arranged by state and gives the statewide indexes and records first.&nbsp; It then gives the countywide indexes and records.&nbsp; This website is updated regularly and is a great source to begin searching for naturalization records on the Internet.''

:The following records are available through the Genealogy Program:

::Alien Files (A-files) numbered below 8 million (A8000000) and documents therein dated prior to May 1, 1951<br>For more information about the Genealogy Program of the USCIS, click [[United States Naturalization Records#United_States_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Services_.28formerly_known_as_the_INS.29|here]].

The library has also acquired large collections of naturalization records from the National Archives branches in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle.  

In some states, naturalization records are included in other court records and are not separately identified. The state research outlines will help you locate these records.  

National Archive regional branches have websites that often state which naturalization records they have available.&nbsp; To locate the regional branch covering the location of the court where the naturalization document was filed, click [http://www.archives.gov/locations/ here].  

The [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)] has instituted the [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextoid=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD Genealogy Program] for the public to access all records up to 1956 created by this agency, formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Be sure to review the [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3e0c69a3a0331110VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD Genealogy Frequently Asked Questions website] to expedite your order and ensure success in your request.  

:Index Search--$20 (form [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=7cac15d8c1dbb110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD G-1041])<br>Microfilm copies--$20 (form [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=882615d8c1dbb110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD G-1041A])<br>Paper copies--$35 (form [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=882615d8c1dbb110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD G-1041A])<br>

== Determining if your Ancestor Naturalized  ==

If you immigrant lived until after 1900, you should locate them on as many censuses as you can:  

:'''PA:''' this abbreviation means the individual began the naturalized process and has submitted a declaration of intention.  

:'''NR:''' this abbreviation means the census taker did not report the citizenship information.

The 1920 Census also asks the year the individual naturalized.  

<u>'''Town of Origin'''</u>  

<u>'''Court Records'''</u>  

There are exceptions to naturalization records that one should keep in mind while searching these records.&nbsp;  

Beginning in 1824 until 1906, immigrants under the age of 21 (whose parents did not naturalize) could be naturalized without filing a declaration of intent after they reached the age of 21 and had met the residency requirements. The declaration was often submitted with the petition.<ref name="Newman">Newman, John J. ''American Naturalization Records 1790-1990.'' (Bountiful, UT: Heritage Quest, 1998).</ref>&nbsp;  

In 1855, derivative citizenship (obtaining one's citizenship from another person)&nbsp;was also available for immigrant women marrying US citizens or if their husbands obtained their citizenship during their marriage.&nbsp; The wife's proof that she was a US citizen was her husband's certificate of citizenship (or certificate of naturalization) and her marriage certificate.&nbsp;  

In 1922, citizenship was no longer available to women through marriage.&nbsp; However, between 1907 to 1922, a woman could lose her US citizenship if she married an alien - even if she was born in the United States.&nbsp; For more information, read Marion L. Smith's article, [http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1998/summer/women-and-naturalization-1.html Women and Naturalization, ca. 1802-1940.]  

==== Collective Naturalization <ref name="Schaefer" /><ref name="Greenwood">Greenwood, Val D. ''The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy'', 3rd ed. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2000)</ref>  ====

In 1868, African-Americans made citizens by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Unites States Constitution.&nbsp; In 1924, Native Americans made finally made citizens - although some chiefs of tribes became citizens before this date.&nbsp; The Native Americans were not included in the Fouteeneth Amendment because they were considered a seperate nation.  

=== Variant spellings  ===

== Other Naturalization Topics  ==

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has a full discussion of all [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=dc60e1df53b2f010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=dc60e1df53b2f010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD naturalization laws] in PDF format.  

There are many [[Naturalization Terms|terms and acronyms]] used when discussing naturalization records.&nbsp; A list of them can be found [[Naturalization Terms|here]].  

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