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==== Naturalization From 1790-1906<ref>Newman, John J. ''American Naturalization Records 1790-1990.'' (Bountiful, UT: Heritage Quest, 1998).</ref> ==== | ==== Naturalization From 1790-1906<ref>Newman, John J. ''American Naturalization Records 1790-1990.'' (Bountiful, UT: Heritage Quest, 1998).</ref> ==== | ||
The first naturalization law was enacted in 1790. Over the years, naturalization laws changed numerous times, but generally speaking the process required a declaration of intention and a petition to be filed to become a citizen. The immigrant also had to be a resident in the United States 5 years and a 1 year resident in the the state before becoming a citizen. In 1795, the law stated there was a 3 year residency requirement. In 1798, it was changed to 14 years. However in 1802, the law was changed back to a 5 year residency requirement in the United States and remains a requirement to this day.<ref>US Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Citizenship Through Naturalization," https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization, accessed Sept 9, 2019. | The first naturalization law was enacted in 1790. Over the years, naturalization laws changed numerous times, but generally speaking the process required a declaration of intention and a petition to be filed to become a citizen. The immigrant also had to be a resident in the United States 5 years and a 1 year resident in the the state before becoming a citizen. In 1795, the law stated there was a 3 year residency requirement. In 1798, it was changed to 14 years. However in 1802, the law was changed back to a 5 year residency requirement in the United States and remains a requirement to this day.<ref>US Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Citizenship Through Naturalization," https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization, accessed Sept 9, 2019.</ref> | ||
The naturalization process is completed in a court of law. The process usually required several steps to complete and various documents related to naturalization may be found in the court records described below. | The naturalization process is completed in a court of law. The process usually required several steps to complete and various documents related to naturalization may be found in the court records described below. | ||
The typical naturalization process involved three steps: | The typical naturalization process involved three steps:<br> | ||
:#'''Declaration of Intention.''' The immigrant filed a declaration of intention (also called first papers) to renounce allegiance to foreign governments and | :#'''Declaration of Intention.''' The immigrant filed a declaration of intention (also called first papers) to renounce allegiance to foreign governments and to later prove he or she had resided in the country long enough to apply for citizenship. However, generally speaking, an immigrant filed a declaration of intention up to two years after he immigrated to the United States. The immigrant could declare any time after he arrived after fulfilling the residency requirement. Some immigrants waited as late as 20 years after coming to the United States to begin the process to become a citizen. There are some [[United_States_Naturalization_and_Citizenship#Exceptions_to_the_Process|exceptions]] to the naturalization process where the immigrant was not required to file a declaration. | ||
:#'''Petition.''' The immigrant had to wait anywhere between | :#'''Petition.''' The immigrant had to wait anywhere between two to three years after he filed his declaration to file his petition for citizenship (also called second or final papers). Most often the petition was filed in a court nearest to the town where the immigrant settled. An Oath of Allegiance was also signed to pledge the immigrants allegiance to the United States and sign a written oath. | ||
:#'''Certificate.''' After all requirements were completed, the immigrant was sworn in as a citizen and issued his or her certificate. The certificate is given from the same court the petition is filed in. It is called the Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of Naturalization. | :#'''Certificate.''' After all requirements were completed, the immigrant was sworn in as a citizen and issued his or her certificate. The certificate is given from the same court the petition is filed in. It is called the Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of Naturalization. | ||
===== Report and Registry, 1798-1828 ===== | ===== Report and Registry, 1798-1828 ===== | ||
From 1798 to 1828, a new immigrant was required to appear before a local court and register his arrival in the United States. This was usually recorded in the court minutes. Sometimes a separate document, a report and registry or aliens' register, was created instead. The immigrant could obtain a certificate showing that he had registered in order to prove his residency later when he applied for citizenship. The Report and Registry could take place at a different time and different court than the immigrant's declaration. | From 1798 to 1828, a new immigrant was required to appear before a local court and register his arrival in the United States. This was usually recorded in the court minutes. Sometimes a separate document, a report and registry or aliens' register, was created instead. The immigrant could obtain a certificate showing that he had registered in order to prove his residency later when he applied for citizenship. The Report and Registry could take place at a different time and different court than the immigrant's declaration as a declaration was still required. | ||
The Report and Registry may include the following information depending on the court recording the information: | The Report and Registry may include the following information depending on the court recording the information:<br> | ||
*Name of immigrant | |||
*Birthplace | |||
*Age | |||
*Nation of allegiance | |||
*County of migration | |||
*Place of intended settlement | |||
*Occupation | |||
==== Naturalization After 1906 ==== | ==== Naturalization After 1906 ==== | ||
When the INS was created in 1906, other naturalization records were created | When the INS was created in 1906, other naturalization records were created during the process of naturalization to keep track of immigrants in the United States. 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)]. A summary of some of these documents are listed below:<br> | ||
:<u>'''Certificate of Arrival, 1906 to the present'''</u>--After 1906 an immigrant was required to submit a certificate of arrival when he petitioned for citizenship in order to prove the length of his residency. This document gives the place of entry, manner of arrival, and date of arrival. This was kept in the file with the petition. | :<u>'''Certificate of Arrival, 1906 to the present'''</u>--After 1906 an immigrant was required to submit a certificate of arrival when he petitioned for citizenship in order to prove the length of his residency. This document gives the place of entry, manner of arrival, and date of arrival. This was kept in the file with the petition. | ||
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