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== Before You Start Searching...<br> == | == Before You Start Searching...<br> == | ||
There are exceptions to naturalization records that one should know before searching these records. | There are exceptions to naturalization records that one should know before searching these records. | ||
=== Exceptions<br> === | === Exceptions<br> === | ||
==== Women and Children <br> ==== | ==== Women and Children <br> ==== | ||
Immigrant children - even today - receive their citizenship from their parents. Starting in 1790, children recieved derivative citizenship from their father (or mother in some cases). Derivative citizenship is defined as getting one's citizenship from another person.<ref name="Schaefer" /> | Immigrant children - even today - receive their citizenship from their parents. Starting in 1790, children recieved derivative citizenship from their father (or mother in some cases). Derivative citizenship is defined as getting one's citizenship from another person.<ref name="Schaefer">Schaefer, Christina K. ''Guide to Naturalization Records of the United States'' (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1997).</ref> When the child's father became naturalized, his children under 18 (or 21, depending on the year) automatically became citizenship. There was no paperwork that was created. To prove his or her citizenship, the child would need his or her father's certificate of citizenship (or certificate of naturalization). | ||
<br>In 1855, derivative citizenship was also available for immigrant women marrying US citizens or if their husbands gaiedn their citizenship during their marriage. 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. | |||
==== Military <br> ==== | <br> | ||
In 1922, citizenship was no longer available to women through marriage. 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. 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.] <br><br> | |||
==== Military <br> ==== | |||
To serve in the United States military, one did not need to be a United States citizen - even today. In fact, the United States Government passed some naturalization laws to help encourage new immigrants to serve in the military in their new homeland. These laws made becoming a naturalized citizen easier for the immigrant. The following are the laws concerning service in the military:<br> | |||
'''''Army'''''--Beginning in 1862, the Declaration was waived, and the residency requirement was reduced to one year, for a soldier with an honorable discharge. <br>'''''Navy & Marines'''''--Beginning in 1894, with an honorable discharge, the Declaration was waived and the residency requirement was reduced to one year. <br>'''''World War I'''''--In 1918, during WWI, the residency requirement was waived and the Declaration was also waived. Soldiers are naturalized at military posts.<br> | |||
==== <br>Collective Naturalization <ref name="Schaefer" /><ref name="Greenwood" /><br><br> ==== | |||
Collective naturalization is defined as a group of people all receiving their citizenship through an act of congress or treaty. There is no paperwork involved in collective naturalization. Some of the groups of people affected by these <br>In 1868, African-Americans made citizens by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Unites States Constitution. In 1924, Native Americans made finally made citizens - although some chiefs of tribes became citizens before this date. The Native Americans were not included in the Fouteeneth Amendment because they were considered a seperate nation. | |||
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Evidence that an immigrant completed citizenship requirements can be found in censuses, court minutes, homestead records, passports, voting registers, and military papers. Even if an immigrant ancestor did not complete the process and become a citizen, he may have begun the process and filed a declaration of intention <br><br> | Evidence that an immigrant completed citizenship requirements can be found in censuses, court minutes, homestead records, passports, voting registers, and military papers. Even if an immigrant ancestor did not complete the process and become a citizen, he may have begun the process and filed a declaration of intention <br><br> | ||
TIPS for Success | TIPS for Success | ||
Do not use naturalization records to locate the immigrant’s parent’s names. You will not find them. | Do not use naturalization records to locate the immigrant’s parent’s names. You will not find them. | ||
There exceptions to the naturalization laws that should be known before looking for naturalization records<br><br> | There exceptions to the naturalization laws that should be known before looking for naturalization records<br><br> | ||
Naturalization Laws<br>Important Naturalization Legislation included the following: <br>1790–The first federal law regarding naturalization required residency in the United States for two years and in a state for one year, but each state continued to provide naturalization under a variety of requirements and procedures until 1906. <br>1802 to 1868-An individual had to prove residency in a state for one year and in the country for five years. A declaration of intention (see below) had to be filed at least two years before the final papers or petition could be filed. <br>1906–Created INS, fixed fees, made all forms uniform and required English language for naturalization. <br>1907–Women lost US Citizenship when they married an alien. <br>1922–Women no longer eligible for derivative citizenship. <br>1940–All aliens living in the United States were required to fill out an Alien Registration form and be fingerprinted at their local police station or post office within 30 days of arriving in the United States. <br>FamilySearch has a summation of some of the naturalization laws. <br>The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has a full discussion of all naturalization laws in PDF format.Portal: United States Naturalization <br>Naturalization Terms <br>• 1st Papers--Another name for Declaration of Intention. <br>• 2nd Papers--Another name for the Naturalization Petition. <br>• AL--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate alien status; the immigrant has not yet begun the naturalization process. <br>• Alien Files or A-Files--1940 to 1956: INS files containing Alien Registration Forms. 1956 to present, A-Files replace the C-Files and become the main file at the INS. <br>• Alien Registration Form--Registration form required to be filled out by the alien at the local post office within 30 days of entering the US. <br>• BCIS--Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service, 2001-2004, formerly INS, now called USCIS. <br>• Census Abbreviations for census records 1900-1930:<br>AL—Alien <br>NA—Naturalized citizen<br>PA–1st papers or declaration submitted<br>NR—Not reported <br>• Certificate Files or C-Files--Duplicate copies of naturalization papers kept by the INS from 1906–1956. <br>• Certificate of Arrival--INS certificate stating an immigrant's port and date of arrival. <br>• Certificate of Naturalization--Final document given to the immigrant proving new citizenship. Also known as Certificate of Citizenship. <br>• Certificate of Registry--INS certificate confirming immigrant's entry to the US when the port and date cannot be verified. <br>• Collective Naturalization--Automatic naturalization of a group, i.e., Native Americans, 1924 and African-Americans in 1870. No documentation will be found. <br>• Declaration of Intention--First naturalization papers filed in court renouncing allegiance to a former country. (after 1906 example) <br>• Denization--Colonial naturalization for land purposes with no political priviledges. <br>• Derivative Citzenship--Citizenship obtained by wife or children through the naturalization of a husband or father. <br>• Final Papers--Another name for the Naturalization Petition. (after 1906 example) <br>• FOIA--Freedom of Information Act. The FOIA form is used to obtain naturalization records from the CIS for records after 1951. <br>• INS--Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1906-2001, changed to BCIS, now called CIS. <br>• NA--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate that the immigrant has been naturalized as a US citizen and completed the naturalization process. <br>• NR--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate that naturalization status was not reported for the immigrant. <br>• Oath of Allegiance--Renouces allegiance to former country and pledges allegiance to the United States of America. (example) <br>• PA--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate alien has submitted his first papers or declaration of intention and has not yet completed the naturalization process. <br>• Petition--Final papers filed in court to complete the naturalization process. <br>• Registry Files--1929–1944: Files created to confirm an alien's immigration information. <br>• CIS--Citizenship and Immigration Service (formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Service or INS) <br>• Visa--A foreign service form issued by an embassy or consul to allow an individual into a country. <br>• Visa Files--INS file containing visas and visa applications | Naturalization Laws<br>Important Naturalization Legislation included the following: <br>1790–The first federal law regarding naturalization required residency in the United States for two years and in a state for one year, but each state continued to provide naturalization under a variety of requirements and procedures until 1906. <br>1802 to 1868-An individual had to prove residency in a state for one year and in the country for five years. A declaration of intention (see below) had to be filed at least two years before the final papers or petition could be filed. <br>1906–Created INS, fixed fees, made all forms uniform and required English language for naturalization. <br>1907–Women lost US Citizenship when they married an alien. <br>1922–Women no longer eligible for derivative citizenship. <br>1940–All aliens living in the United States were required to fill out an Alien Registration form and be fingerprinted at their local police station or post office within 30 days of arriving in the United States. <br>FamilySearch has a summation of some of the naturalization laws. <br>The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has a full discussion of all naturalization laws in PDF format.Portal: United States Naturalization <br>Naturalization Terms <br>• 1st Papers--Another name for Declaration of Intention. <br>• 2nd Papers--Another name for the Naturalization Petition. <br>• AL--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate alien status; the immigrant has not yet begun the naturalization process. <br>• Alien Files or A-Files--1940 to 1956: INS files containing Alien Registration Forms. 1956 to present, A-Files replace the C-Files and become the main file at the INS. <br>• Alien Registration Form--Registration form required to be filled out by the alien at the local post office within 30 days of entering the US. <br>• BCIS--Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service, 2001-2004, formerly INS, now called USCIS. <br>• Census Abbreviations for census records 1900-1930:<br>AL—Alien <br>NA—Naturalized citizen<br>PA–1st papers or declaration submitted<br>NR—Not reported <br>• Certificate Files or C-Files--Duplicate copies of naturalization papers kept by the INS from 1906–1956. <br>• Certificate of Arrival--INS certificate stating an immigrant's port and date of arrival. <br>• Certificate of Naturalization--Final document given to the immigrant proving new citizenship. Also known as Certificate of Citizenship. <br>• Certificate of Registry--INS certificate confirming immigrant's entry to the US when the port and date cannot be verified. <br>• Collective Naturalization--Automatic naturalization of a group, i.e., Native Americans, 1924 and African-Americans in 1870. No documentation will be found. <br>• Declaration of Intention--First naturalization papers filed in court renouncing allegiance to a former country. (after 1906 example) <br>• Denization--Colonial naturalization for land purposes with no political priviledges. <br>• Derivative Citzenship--Citizenship obtained by wife or children through the naturalization of a husband or father. <br>• Final Papers--Another name for the Naturalization Petition. (after 1906 example) <br>• FOIA--Freedom of Information Act. The FOIA form is used to obtain naturalization records from the CIS for records after 1951. <br>• INS--Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1906-2001, changed to BCIS, now called CIS. <br>• NA--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate that the immigrant has been naturalized as a US citizen and completed the naturalization process. <br>• NR--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate that naturalization status was not reported for the immigrant. <br>• Oath of Allegiance--Renouces allegiance to former country and pledges allegiance to the United States of America. (example) <br>• PA--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate alien has submitted his first papers or declaration of intention and has not yet completed the naturalization process. <br>• Petition--Final papers filed in court to complete the naturalization process. <br>• Registry Files--1929–1944: Files created to confirm an alien's immigration information. <br>• CIS--Citizenship and Immigration Service (formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Service or INS) <br>• Visa--A foreign service form issued by an embassy or consul to allow an individual into a country. <br>• Visa Files--INS file containing visas and visa applications | ||
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