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“Give me your

tired, your poor...

I lift my lamp

beside the golden door.”

Emma Lazarus

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NATURALIZATIONNATURALIZATION

DeAnne Shelley

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NATURALIZATION IS THE LEGAL PROCESS THAT GIVES AN IMMIGRANT

THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP

NATURALIZATION IS THE LEGAL PROCESS THAT GIVES AN IMMIGRANT

THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP

The privilege of votingThe right to own property

Civil rightsProtection of the law

New responsibilities

NATURALIZATION BRINGS GREAT ADVANTAGES

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RECORDS CREATED BY THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS MAY

PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION

RECORDS CREATED BY THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS MAY

PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION

DATE AND PORT OF ARRIVALPLACE OF RESIDENCENAMES & AGES OF FAMILYOCCUPATION

IMMIGRANT’S NATION OF ORIGINBIRTH DATE

FOREIGN AND AMERICAN NAMES

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REQUIREMENTS FOR NATURALIZATION HAVE CHANGED MANY TIMES

THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS ARE:THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS ARE:

RESIDENCY IN THE COUNTRY FOR FIVE YEARS

RESIDENCY IN THE COUNTRY FOR FIVE YEARS

GOOD MORAL CHARACTERGOOD MORAL CHARACTER

AN OATH OF LOYALTY OR ALLEGIANCEAN OATH OF LOYALTY OR ALLEGIANCE

KNOWLEDGE OF GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE

KNOWLEDGE OF GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE

9CITIZENSHIP CLASS 1923

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HISTORICAL CHANGES IN THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

NATURALIZATION

HISTORICAL CHANGES IN THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

NATURALIZATION

Pre-17901795

1802 to 19061906 to 1933

2001

1952

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75,000

BECAME

CITIZENS

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COLLECTIVE NATURALIZATIONSCOLLECTIVE NATURALIZATIONS

GROUPS GRANTED CITIZENSHIP BY LEGISLATION OR TREATY

1803 LOUISIANA PURCHASE

1845 TEXAS

1900 HAWAII/1917 PUERTO RICO /1927 VIRGIN ISLANDS

1924 NATIVE AMERICANS

2001 CHILD CITIZENSHIP ACT

1819 FLORIDA /1867 ALASKA

1870 AFRICAN AMERICANS

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DERIVATIVE CITIZENSHIPDERIVATIVE CITIZENSHIP

BASED UPON CITIZENSHIP OF ANOTHER OR UPON SERVICE

PERFORMED

WIVES OF CITIZENS

ALIENS OVER 21 WHO PERFORMED MILITARY SERVICE

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ALIENS SERVING IN MILITARY TAKING OATH CAMP UPTON, NEW YORK 1918

ALIENS SERVING IN MILITARY TAKING OATH CAMP UPTON, NEW YORK 1918

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NATURALIZATION PROCESSNATURALIZATION PROCESS

DECLARATION OF INTENTION

PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION

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FINAL OATH

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TIPS FOR LOCATING RECORDS TIPS FOR LOCATING RECORDS

DEVELOP A TIME & PLACE SEQUENCE FOR THE

IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR

1900 through 1930 census schedules have identified

citizenship status: a - alien; pa - had applied but did not

complete process; na – naturalized

DEVELOP A TIME & PLACE SEQUENCE FOR THE

IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR

1900 through 1930 census schedules have identified

citizenship status: a - alien; pa - had applied but did not

complete process; na – naturalized

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DETERMINE WHICH NATURALIZATION LAWS WERE IN EFFECT

Before 1906 an alien could be naturalized in any court. It is best to begin your search in the

county where the alien resided.

Some courts store records off site. A telephone call, letter, e-mail, or check of the World Wide

Web site of a court or an archives before a visit is wise.

TIPS FOR LOCATING RECORDSTIPS FOR LOCATING RECORDS

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HOME AND FAMILY SOURCESHOME AND FAMILY SOURCES

FAMILY PAPERS

SCRAPBOOKS

PHOTO ALBUMS

FAMILY BIBLES

BOXES IN ATTIC/BASEMENT

RELATIVES

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EVIDENCE OF COMPLETED CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS CAN

BE FOUND IN:

EVIDENCE OF COMPLETED CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS CAN

BE FOUND IN:CENSUSES

COURT RECORDS

HOMESTEAD RECORDS

PASSPORTS

VOTING REGISTERS

MILITARY RECORDS

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THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARYTHE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY

Naturalization records are listed in locality searchof the Family History Library Catalog under one of the following:

STATE - NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP STATE, COUNTY - NATURALIZATION AND

CITIZENSHIP

STATE, COUNTY, TOWN - NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP

The library has records from the National Archives Branches in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles,

New York and Seattle.

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LOCATING RECORDS ON THE INTERNETLOCATING RECORDS ON THE INTERNET

1. National Archives and Records Administration (www.nara.gov)

2. State Archives and Records AdminstrationEach state has a web site to connect you to the State archives, library or historical society.

New York’s State Archives has an excellent “Guide to Naturalization Records” and IndianaState Archives maintains a direct link to all state archival agencies.

3. Ancestry.com has a wonderful collection of Immigration records. www.ancestry.com

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GOOD REFERENCE BOOKSGOOD REFERENCE BOOKS

Guide to Naturalization Records in the United StatesChristina K. Schaefer, Baltimore: Genealogical

Publishing, 1997 (FHL Ref. Book 973 P4s)

American Naturalization Records 1790-1990What They Are and How to Use ThemJohn J. Newman, Heritage Quest, 1998

They Became Americans, Loretto Dennis Szucs

Ancestry Incorporated, 1998

Locating Your Immigrant Ancestor, 2nd edition, James & Lila Lee Neagles, Everton Publishers, 1986

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The End