Naturalization records can be a valuable tool to help you trace and document your ancestor’s immigration journey. While some immigrants came to the United States seeking work to earn money and then return to their homeland, most came seeking new opportunities and a new home. Many sought to become citizens in their adopted country through naturalization. Naturalization is the process by which an alien becomes an American citizen. It is a voluntary act. It is not required. Some immigrants may have started the process but not completed it.
What was the U.S. naturalization process?
Declaration of Intention
The first naturalization law was enacted in 1790. Over the years the naturalization process has changed and depending on when and where your ancestors chose to start the process, records and procedures may be different. Generally, naturalization was a multi-step process that took a minimum of five years to complete. The alien needed to reside in the United States for two years before starting the first step of filing a declaration of intention to become a citizen. This is also known as "first papers". (The declaration of intention requirement ended in 1952.) After three additional years, the alien could "petition for naturalization". This was known as ”second papers”. After the petition was granted, a certificate of citizenship was issued to the new citizen. These two steps did not have to take place in the same court. Prior to September 27, 1906, any "court of record" (municipal, county, state, or Federal) could grant United States citizenship. In 1906, the Basic Naturalization Act of 1906 was passed requiring standardization of naturalization forms. The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Service (BINS) also required that a copy of every naturalization record created by the court be sent to them.
Many times naturalization records from state or local courts can be found at state archives or county historical societies.
If a naturalization took place in a Federal court, naturalization indexes, declarations of intention, and petitions for naturalization will usually be in the National Archives facility serving the state in which the Federal court is located. No central index exists.
Naturalization records dated prior to October 1991 from the Federal courts are at the National Archives.
Naturalization records dated October 1991 and after were created by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and are now with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In 1855, derivative citizenship (obtaining one's citizenship from another person) was 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.
Immigrant children receive their derivative citizenship from their parents. When the child's father became naturalized, his children under 16 (or 18, depending on the year) automatically became citizens. No paperwork was created at that time. From 1790 to 1929, to prove his or her citizenship, the child would need his or her father's certificate of naturalization.
How do you determine if your ancestors were naturalized?
Clues that your ancestors began or completed the naturalization process can be found in a number of documents that are commonly found/used in genealogy research.
The U.S. Census in 1870 and from 1900 through 1950 each asked the year an immigrant arrived in the United States and also asked if the individual was naturalized or not. Special codes in the Naturalization column indicate the following:
1920 CensusPA - the individual has filed a declaration of intention
NA - the individual has completed the process and is a U.S. citizen
AL - the individual has not begun the process and is not naturalized (Alien)
NR - no report of citizenship information
Am Cit - American Citizen born abroad
The 1920 census was the only census that also asked the year the individual was naturalized.
US Passports - Passports were only issued to U.S. citizens. If your immigrant ancestor had a passport he/she was naturalized.
United States Naturalization Certificate
Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship - a copy of the certificate of citizenship was given to the new citizen when the petition was granted.
Draft Registration Cards - cards indicate whether a natural born citizen, naturalized citizen or alien.
Immigration Passenger List - if your naturalized immigrant ancestor returned to the homeland and then returned to the US, codes on the ship’s passenger list will indicate that the individual is a naturalized citizen.
Voter Registration Records - after 1906 immigrants had to be citizens in order to vote (although women were still not allowed to vote until 1920). If your immigrant ancestor was listed on a voter registration record after 1906 he would have been a naturalized citizen.
Land Records - Under the Homestead Act of 1862 the U.S. government provided 160 acres of land to immigrants who declared intent to become citizens and a willingness to farm on the land for five years. Emigration societies operating in Europe and the eastern United States promoted migration and the benefits of citizenship. Many homestead applications contain copies of naturalization records.
Where can you find United States naturalization and citizenship information?
Thanks to online search sites, locating records and naturalization clues for our ancestors has never been easier.
This category which includes passenger arrival records,, border crossings, emigration records, convict transportation records also includes nearly 17,000,000 citizenship, passport and naturalization records.
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