Naturalization records

The usual steps

For most of American history, naturalization took two steps and at least five years. After living in the United States for two years, the immigrant could file a declaration of intention, often called first papers, stating that they meant to become a citizen and gave up allegiance to their former ruler. After three more years, they could file a petition for naturalization, called second or final papers.

If the court granted the petition, the new citizen took an oath and received a certificate of naturalization, also called a certificate of citizenship. The two steps did not have to happen in the same court or even the same state, so a declaration filed in a port city can sit hundreds of miles from the petition filed years later in the Midwest.

Before 1906: any court of record

Until September 27, 1906, any court of record could naturalize: a city, county, state, or federal court. Immigrants often used whichever court was closest or most convenient. Records from this era are scattered, and many are thin, sometimes only a name, a date, a former country, and a signature.

Even a thin pre-1906 record is useful. The country of former allegiance narrows the search, the date tells you the person had been in the country at least about five years, and the names of witnesses can point to neighbors or relatives from the same village. Check the court's minute books as well as any loose papers.

From 1906: standard forms and more detail

The Basic Naturalization Act of 1906, effective September 27, 1906, set up a federal agency to oversee naturalization, introduced standard forms, and set fees that pushed most cases toward federal courts. Local courts did not stop overnight, so you may still find post-1906 papers in a county court.

Post-1906 declarations and petitions usually ask for the person's birth date and town, physical description, occupation, last foreign residence, port and date of arrival, and the name of the ship. Petitions often list the spouse and children with birth dates and places, and name two witnesses who vouched for the applicant. A certificate of arrival, confirming the immigrant's entry in ship records, may be attached.

A copy of the certificate was also sent to the federal immigration service. Those copies, part of Certificate Files called C-Files, cover September 27, 1906 to March 31, 1956, and are now held by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Women, children and veterans

For long stretches of history, wives and minor children did not file their own papers. A child under 21 generally became a citizen when the father naturalized, and from 1855 until September 22, 1922 a foreign-born wife generally gained citizenship through her husband. So if you cannot find papers for a woman or child, look for the husband or father instead.

The National Archives also notes special exceptions over the years, including a special process, used from 1824 to 1906, for people who had arrived as minors, and shortened processes for military veterans. If your ancestor served in the army, check whether a court naturalized him without a declaration.

Clues in other records

The censuses of 1900 through 1930 asked foreign-born people about citizenship. Look for the codes Na for naturalized, Pa for first papers filed, or Al for alien. In 1900 and 1910 the question was asked only of foreign-born men 21 and older, so a blank for a wife or child is normal. The 1920 census also asked the year of naturalization. Voter registers, land entry case files and passport applications may also mention when and where someone was naturalized. Treat those dates as leads, not proof, because people often misremembered them.