United States Naturalization Records
United States Naturalization Records
United States of America > United States Naturalization Records
Why Use This Record?
Naturalization Overview
Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship privileges and responsibilities to foreign-born residents. Naturalization papers are an important source of information about an immigrant's nation of origin, his foreign and “Americanized” names, residence, and date of arrival.
Immigrants to the United States have never been required to apply for citizenship. An immigrant could become a citizen anytime after they arrived to the United States. Of those who applied, many did not complete the requirements for citizenship to become a citizen.
Record Content
Before 1906, the information recorded on naturalization records differed widely. Naturalization records before 1906 are not likely to give town of origin or names of parents. However, naturalization records after 1906 contain more information than earlier records. Information in post-1906 records is more detailed and may include birth dates, birth places, and other immigration information about the immigrant and members of his family.
Before 1906, naturalization records may contain:
- Port of arrival
- Date of arrival
- Age of immigrant
- Residence of immigrant
- Country of origin or allegiance
In 1906, the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization was created. [1](Later called Immigration and Naturalization Services or INS)
After 1906, naturalization records may contain:
- Birth date & place of immigrant
- Spouse & children
- Birth dates and places for spouse & children
- Port of arrival
- Date of arrival
- Vessel of arrival
- Occupation
- Physical Description
- Marriage date
- Age
- Residence
- Last Foreign Address
- Marital status
Coverage
Naturalization records start as early as the colonies were created. The requirements and process of naturalization have changed many times. The basic requirements have been residency in the country for a given period of time, good moral character, and an oath of loyalty or allegiance.
Colonial Naturalization (Pre-1790)
British immigrants were automatically citizens of the colonies (British Empire). A few Protestant immigrants from other countries gave oaths of allegiance or appeared before a civil authority to request citizenship (a process sometimes referred to as denization). Seven of the original colonies had their own laws for naturalizing foreigners as citizens of the British Empire colony. After the Revolutionary War, the individual states established their own naturalization laws and procedures.
Types of Colonial Naturalization
Denization--Naturalization for land purposes, no political privileges
Oath of Allegiance--Renouncing former country loyalties, full privileges
Collective citizenship--Naturalization as a group, without documents
Naturalization Process After 1790
The first naturalization law was enacted in 1790 and new naturalization laws were created throughout the years. This was the beginning of the naturalization process which required a Declaration of Intention and a Petition to naturalize.
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:
- Declaration of Intention. The immigrant filed a declaration of intention (first papers) to renounce allegiance to foreign governments and in order to later prove he or she had resided in the country long enough to apply for citizenship. Declarations were filed many places. Some were filed in a court at the port of arrival, some en route to a new home, and some in the immigrant's new home.
- Petition. After two to five years the immigrant filed a petition for citizenship (second or final papers). Most often the petition was filed in a court nearest to the town where the immigrant settled.
- Certificate. After all requirements were completed, the immigrant was sworn in as a citizen and issued his or her certificate.
1906 to present
Where to get the records
Online sources
FHL
Repositories
INS
Before Searching you must know
Before you search for your ancestor’s naturalization records, you should have an idea of when they immigrated to the United States.
Evidence that an immigrant completed citizenship requirements can be found in censuses, court minutes, homestead records, passports, voting registers, and military papers.
If you immigrant lived until after 1900, you should locate them on as many censuses as you can:
Census Records – 1900 to 1930
The 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 Censuses each ask the year an immigrant arrived to the United States. It also asks if the individual was naturalized or not. The codes for naturalization are as follows:
PA: this abbreviation means the individual began the naturalized process and has submitted a declaration of intention.
NA: this abbreviation means that the individual has completed the naturalization process and is a US Citizen. Both a declaration of intention and a petition should be located for the individual.
AL: this abbreviation means the immigrant had not yet naturalized or even begun the process. Not every immigrant naturalized.
NR: this abbreviation means the census taker did not report the citizenship information.
1920 Census
The 1920 Census also asks the year the individual naturalized.
It is also helpful to know if your ancestor naturalized. Documents found in your family’s possession may indicate if your ancestor naturalized.
Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship:
Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship indicates that your ancestor completed the process and was a naturalized citizen of the United States.
Passport:
If you ancestor had a United States passport, your ancestor completed the naturalization process and was a US Citizen.
Before You Start Searching...
There are exceptions to naturalization records that one should know before searching these records.
Exceptions
Women and Children
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.[1] 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).
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.
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, Women and Naturalization, ca. 1802-1940.
Military
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:
Army--Beginning in 1862, the Declaration was waived, and the residency requirement was reduced to one year, for a soldier with an honorable discharge.
Navy & Marines--Beginning in 1894, with an honorable discharge, the Declaration was waived and the residency requirement was reduced to one year.
World War I--In 1918, during WWI, the residency requirement was waived and the Declaration was also waived. Soldiers are naturalized at military posts.
Collective Naturalization [1][2]
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
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.
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
TIPS for Success
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
Naturalization Laws
Important Naturalization Legislation included the following:
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.
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.
1906–Created INS, fixed fees, made all forms uniform and required English language for naturalization.
1907–Women lost US Citizenship when they married an alien.
1922–Women no longer eligible for derivative citizenship.
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.
FamilySearch has a summation of some of the naturalization laws.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has a full discussion of all naturalization laws in PDF format.Portal: United States Naturalization
Naturalization Terms
• 1st Papers--Another name for Declaration of Intention.
• 2nd Papers--Another name for the Naturalization Petition.
• AL--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate alien status; the immigrant has not yet begun the naturalization process.
• 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.
• 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.
• BCIS--Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service, 2001-2004, formerly INS, now called USCIS.
• Census Abbreviations for census records 1900-1930:
AL—Alien
NA—Naturalized citizen
PA–1st papers or declaration submitted
NR—Not reported
• Certificate Files or C-Files--Duplicate copies of naturalization papers kept by the INS from 1906–1956.
• Certificate of Arrival--INS certificate stating an immigrant's port and date of arrival.
• Certificate of Naturalization--Final document given to the immigrant proving new citizenship. Also known as Certificate of Citizenship.
• Certificate of Registry--INS certificate confirming immigrant's entry to the US when the port and date cannot be verified.
• Collective Naturalization--Automatic naturalization of a group, i.e., Native Americans, 1924 and African-Americans in 1870. No documentation will be found.
• Declaration of Intention--First naturalization papers filed in court renouncing allegiance to a former country. (after 1906 example)
• Denization--Colonial naturalization for land purposes with no political priviledges.
• Derivative Citzenship--Citizenship obtained by wife or children through the naturalization of a husband or father.
• Final Papers--Another name for the Naturalization Petition. (after 1906 example)
• FOIA--Freedom of Information Act. The FOIA form is used to obtain naturalization records from the CIS for records after 1951.
• INS--Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1906-2001, changed to BCIS, now called CIS.
• 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.
• NR--An abreviation used in the 1900–1930 Census to indicate that naturalization status was not reported for the immigrant.
• Oath of Allegiance--Renouces allegiance to former country and pledges allegiance to the United States of America. (example)
• 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.
• Petition--Final papers filed in court to complete the naturalization process.
• Registry Files--1929–1944: Files created to confirm an alien's immigration information.
• CIS--Citizenship and Immigration Service (formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Service or INS)
• Visa--A foreign service form issued by an embassy or consul to allow an individual into a country.
• Visa Files--INS file containing visas and visa applications
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Schaefer, Christina K. Guide to Naturalization Records of the United States (Baltimore, MD: Christina K. Schaefer, 1997). Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Schaefer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, 3rd ed. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2000)