United States Naturalization and Citizenship: Difference between revisions

== U.S. Naturalization Records  ==

=== Why Use This Record?  ===

<u>'''Naturalization Overview <br>'''</u>  

{{Naturalization States}}  

Two good sources to begin searching for colonial naturalization records are <br>  

*Bockstruck, Lloyd deWitt. ''Denizations and Naturalizations in the British Colonies in America, 1607-1775''. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2005. {{FHL|1210002|item|disp=FHL Book 970 P4b}}.

An immigrant may have completed naturalization proceedings through any of 5,000 federal, state, or local courts that had the authority to grant citizenship. Naturalization proceedings were most often completed in county, superior or common pleas courts, or in state and U.S. circuit and district courts. Because some municipal, police, criminal, probate, and other courts also provided this service, you may need to search the records of all local courts.  

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 declaration 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. Most likely the petition (second papers) was filed in that county or city.  

Beginning in September 1906, the federal government began regulating the naturalization process. The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (now the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS) required specific forms for declarations and petitions. Only these forms could be used and the Bureau controlled the number of courts able to naturalize by controlling distribution of the forms. However, both state and federal courts were allowed to naturalize.<br>  

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&nbsp;to&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;  

One federal court that may contain your ancestor's naturalization records is the District Court.&nbsp; However, to search the&nbsp;these records you must&nbsp;first determine the correct district court.&nbsp;&nbsp;Click on [[United States District Court Jurisdictions|United States District Court Jurisdictions]]&nbsp;to help you identify the correct District Court.&nbsp;&nbsp;You must know the county your ancestor resided in.  

There are many online resources available for researching naturalization records.&nbsp; These online resources include naturalization indexes as well as digital images of naturalization records.&nbsp; ''<br>''  

A key reference book is: <br>• Schaefer, Christina K. ''Guide to Naturalization Records in the United States''. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. (FHL book 973 P4s.) It identifies records at both the National Archives and the Family History Library. It also describes many state and county courthouse collections. This book was published in 1997 and has not been updated. The Family History Library has added naturalization records to their collection since the&nbsp;publication.<br>  

The clerk of the court where the immigrant was naturalized may still have the original records. Some copies of court naturalization records have been transferred to National Archives regional branches. Check these Regional Branches for Federal Court Records as they charge less than the [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/ USCIS].&nbsp;  

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/genealogy Genealogy Program] for public access to immigrant records from 1906 to 1956 created by this agency, formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Before making a request, review [http://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/genealogy/requesting-help/record-requests-frequently-asked-questions Genealogy FAQ] and [http://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/genealogy/avoid-common-errors Genealogy Common Errors] sections.  

Once the form is filled out, include a money order or cashier's check. Cash or a personal check will not be accepted. There are no refunds for incorrect file numbers submitted or for negative results. The mailing address and fee schedule are on the forms.  

Before you search for your ancestor’s naturalization records, you should have an idea of when they immigrated to the United States.  

If your ancestor had a United States passport, your ancestor completed the naturalization process and was a US Citizen. Passports were only given to U.S. citizens. They were and was not required for travel outside of the United States during times of war. Often newly naturalized citizens would obtain passports to keep them from being drafted in their native country's military. For more information about United States Passports, click [[United States Passports|here]].<br>  

For success in finding naturalization records and obtaining the information desired, remember that there are limitations&nbsp;in naturalization records, exceptions to the naturalization process and search strategies that should be used such as checking spelling variations.<br>  

<u>'''Town of Origin'''</u>  

Names of parents are not regularly found associated with naturalization records. &nbsp;Late 19th and 20th century passenger list immigration records may reveal the name of a parent if they are shown as the closest relative left behind in the old country or the person to whom the immigrant was destined. &nbsp;Immigrants admitted from July 1, 1924 to March 31, 1944 will have their parent's names shown in their&nbsp;[http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=1e429e4e78157310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b5f56782d3c37310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD Visa&nbsp;file].&nbsp; Copies of [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextoid=8d6bfd262fa4b110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD visa files] can only be obtained from the [http://www.uscis.gov/ USCIS.] Immigrants who arrived prior to 1924 but who underwent Registry proceedings between 1929 and 1944 usually name their parents in their [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=de8d7e1d89157310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b5f56782d3c37310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD Registry File], also available from [http://www.uscis.gov/genealogy USCIS]. &nbsp;Only if the immigrant naturalized after March 31, 1944, will the Visa File or [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=de8d7e1d89157310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b5f56782d3c37310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD Registry File ]be found in the [http://www.uscis.gov/genealogy USCIS] naturalization Certificate File.  

==== Children  ====

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. &nbsp;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). &nbsp;They are also examples of "one paper naturalizations" because no declaration was required. &nbsp;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. &nbsp;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>&nbsp;  

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

In 1922, citizenship was no longer available to women through marriage. However, from 1907 to 1922, a woman could lose her U.S. citizenship if she married an alien, even if she was born in the United States. For more information, read Marian L. Smith's article, ''Women and Naturalization, ca. 1802-1940''.  

To serve in the United States military, one did not need to be a United States citizen - even today.&nbsp; The United States Government passed some naturalization laws to help encourage new immigrants to serve in the military in their new homeland.&nbsp; These laws made becoming a naturalized citizen easier for the immigrant in military service.&nbsp; The following are the laws concerning service in the military:<br>  

Collective naturalization also occurred for residents of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Texas in 1845, and Hawaii in 1898.  

Search all spellings of the surname. Think about how the surname was pronounced, and how it sounded in your ancestor's probable accent. The surname may be spelled differently in earlier records that were closer to your ancestor's immigration date.<br>  

<br>  

There are over 150 [[United States Naturalization Laws#Naturalization_Laws|U.S. naturalization laws]] that have been enacted since 1790. These laws change the residency requirements and other stipulations for naturalizing.&nbsp;; A summary of some of the major naturalization acts passed by congress can be found [[United States Naturalization Laws|here]].  

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

[http://www.us-immigration.com/naturalization-process-gender-age-marital-status/ The Naturalization Process and Current Trends in Immigration in the United States: By Gender, By Age and By Marital Status]  

[http://www.uscitizenship.info/a-guide-to-uscis-and-the-process-for-citizenship/?r=bing-organic-search-guide+to+citizenship%27 A Guide to USCIS and the Process for Citizenship]  

'''Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:'''