United States Naturalization and Citizenship: Difference between revisions

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)].&nbsp; 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&nbsp;date of arrival. This was kept in the file with the petition.

:<u>'''Certificate of Registry'''</u>--A certificate created by the INS to document immigrants who arrived prior to July 1, 1924 to the United States&nbsp;where no original arrival record could be located.&nbsp;

:<u>'''Visa and Application'''</u>--Began with the Immigration Act of 1924. All aliens had to have a Visa to enter the United States. Visas were obtained at US Embassies and Consulates abroad. Visa Files contain birth information, parents, children, previous residence and a photograph beginning in 1929.

:<u>'''[https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens Alien Registration]'''</u>--The Alien Registration Act of 1940 required every non-citizen of the United States, age 14 years and up, to register and fill out the Alien Registration form. The Alien Registration Program created a specific form, AR-2, that were used from 1 Aug 1940 to 31 Mar 1944 during World War II. All original alien registration forms were microfilmed and are at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The originals were destroyed after filming.

:An alien registration form contains the following information:

:*Name  

:*Name at time of entry to the US  

:*Other names used  

:*Address  

:*Date of Birth  

:*Citizenship/Nationality  

:*Gender  

:*Marital Status  

:*Race  

:*Height &amp; Weight  

:*Hair &amp; Eye Color  

:*Port, date, ship, and class of admission at last arrival in US  

:*Date of first arrival in US  

:*Years lived in US  

:*Intended stay in US  

:*Usual occupation  

:*Present occupation  

:*Present employer, including address  

:*Club, organization, or society memberships  

:*Military service (Country, branch, dates)  

:*Date and number of Declaration of Intention (if filed), and city and State where filed  

:*Date of Petition for Naturalization (if filed), and city and State where filed  

:*Arrest history  

:*Fingerprint  

:*Signature  

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