A helpful list of tips for researching immigrants to the U.S., reprinted from Ancestry Daily News, Wednesday, June 23, 1999: "SEARCHING FOR AN IMMIGRANT'S ORIGINS : QUICK REFERENCE" (From "They Became Americans: Finding Naturalization Records and Ethnic Origins," by Loretto D. Szucs) <<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>> ======================================================= ~ To begin the search for an immigrant's origins, learn as much as you can about that person, including full name, approximate birth date, native country, approximately when that person came to the United States, and where that person lived after his or her arrival in the United States. ~ Since 1790, naturalizations in the United States have been performed according to federal law. ~ Before 1906, any federal, state, or local court of record (a court having a seal or one that kept records) could naturalize aliens. ~ Aliens intending to be naturalized citizens first filed a declaration of intention to become a citizen. ~ Declarations of intention are instruments by which applicants for U.S. citizenship renounced allegiance to foreign sovereignties and declared their intentions to become U.S. citizens. ~ A declaration of intention usually preceded proof of residence or a petition to become a citizen by two or more years. ~ In most years, a declaration of intention was not required if the person had been honorably discharged from the U.S. military or had entered the country when a minor (under the age of twenty-one). ~ After five years (except for a brief period when the laws changed) in the United States, an alien could petition a court to be naturalized. ~ Naturalization petitions are instruments by which those who had declared their intention to become a U.S. citizen and who had met the residence requirements made formal application for U.S. citizenship. ~ Many aliens waited more than the required five years to become naturalized. ~ Many aliens who filed declarations of intention never completed the process by petitioning for naturalization. ~ Naturalization depositions are formal statements in support of an applicant's petition by witnesses designated by the applicant. ~ Certificates or records of naturalization and oaths of allegiance are documents which granted citizenship to petitioners. ~ Courts held hearings on the petition of an alien and took testimony from witnesses to determine whether the alien met residence and character requirements. ~ When the petition was accepted, the alien took the oath of allegiance and the court recorded the final naturalization order or certificate. ~ Before 1906, the final order was usually recorded in the court's minute or order book, and the court usually issued the new citizen a certificate of naturalization. ~ Before 1906, naturalization forms (records) varied significantly from state to state, county to county, and year to year. ~ Between 1855 and 1922, an alien woman became a citizen automatically if she married an American citizen. ~ A woman could derive citizenship from her naturalized father or her husband (derivative citizenship). ~ Relatively few single women became naturalized citizens before 1922, and married women could not be naturalized on their own unless they were widowed or divorced. ~ Non-native minor children became American citizens when their parents were naturalized. ~ Former slaves were made citizens by the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1868. ~ American Indians were made citizens by federal laws passed in 1887 and 1924. ~ Aliens from China, Japan, and other East and South Asian countries were barred from becoming citizens from 1882 to 1943. ~ Expedited naturalization proceedings were available to aliens who were U.S. Army veterans from 1862; U.S. Navy veterans from 1894; and wartime enlisted servicemen and women from 1918. ~ Under the 1906 Basic Naturalization Act, naturalization forms were standardized and the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, later the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), examined petitions for naturalization. ~ After 1906, the standard naturalization records contain more biographical information than previously. ~ The INS has duplicate naturalization records for individuals who were naturalized after 1906. ~ Women twenty-one years of age or over were entitled to citizenship in 1922, and derivative citizenship was discontinued. ======================================================= NATURALIZATION LINKS & RESOURCES <<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>> ======================================================= Naturalization Records Reference Guide in the Learning Center http://www.ancestry.com/research/natrecords.htm (Information contained in the records, where to find the records, information needed to request records, and some important points to keep in mind) NARA's Guide to Naturalization Records http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/natural.html For naturalizations that took place after 27 September 1906 Call 1-800-870-3676 to request the form be mailed to you. Or download Form G-639 at: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/forms/download/g-639.htm Or, to have the forms mailed to you, fill out the form at: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/exec/forms/index.asp