The US Department of State has the authorization to issue an apostille of a copy of a document certified by the National Archives.
C-Files and certain A-Files can be requested through the USCIS Genealogy Program. Beginning April 1, 1956, INS began filing all naturalization records in a subject’s Alien File (A-File). USCIS maintains duplicate copies of court records (including the certificate of citizenship) created September 27, 1906-Mawithin Certificate Files (C-Files). Two copies of the certificate were created – one given to the petitioner as proof of citizenship, and, after September 26, 1906, one forwarded to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).Ĭertificates of citizenship were issued by the Federal courts until October 1991 when naturalization became an administrative function under the INS.Īll INS records are now overseen by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In most cases, the National Archives will not have a copy of the certificate of citizenship. where the individual was residing at the time of naturalization (city/county/state).
name of petitioner (including known variants).To ensure a successful request with the National Archives researchers should include: If a naturalization took place in a Federal court, naturalization indexes, declarations of intention (with any accompanying certificates of arrival), and petitions for naturalization will usually be in the National Archives facility serving the state in which the Federal court is located. These two steps did not have to take place in the same court. After the petition was granted, a certificate of citizenship was issued to the new citizen. After three additional years, the alien could "petition for naturalization" (”second papers”). After residing in the United States for two years, an alien could file a " declaration of intention" ("first papers") to become a citizen. In general, naturalization was a two-step process* that took a minimum of five years.
It took time for the lower courts to let go of the practice, so researchers may need to look at lower courts if the National Archives does not maintain a record of naturalization from the early-mid 20 th century. Records from state and local courts are often at state archives or historical societies.īeginning September 27, 1906, US naturalization law imposed a fee structure that encouraged the transfer of naturalization to Federal courts. In certain cases county court naturalization records maintained by the National Archives are available as microfilm publications. Researchers should contact the National Archives facility serving the state in which the petitioner resided to determine if records from lower courts are available. However, a few indexes and records have been donated to the National Archives from counties, states, and local courts. As a general rule, the National Archives does not have naturalization records created in state or local courts. Often petitioners went to the court most geographically convenient for them. Prior to September 27, 1906, any "court of record" (municipal, county, state, or Federal) could grant United States citizenship. It is a voluntary act naturalization is not required. Naturalization is the process by which an alien becomes an American citizen. In an effort to assist patrons seeking dual citizenship to understand what the National Archives can and cannot assist them with, we’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions.
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