Naturalization Records: How Immigrants Became Citizens

How the two-step citizenship process worked, why 1906 is the dividing line, and where to find the papers that can name a hometown and ship.

2 min read

Naturalization records can be some of the most detailed documents about an immigrant ancestor. Records after 1906 often give birth date and town, the ship and date of arrival, a spouse's and children's names, and a photograph. Earlier records can be thin, but they still place a person in a specific court and year. Here is how the process worked and how to find the paperwork.

The two-step process

For most of U.S. history, becoming a citizen took two documents, usually years apart:

1. Declaration of intention ("first papers"): a sworn statement that the person intended to become a citizen, usually filed soon after arrival.
2. Petition for naturalization ("final papers"): filed after the residency requirement, usually five years, was met. If granted, the court issued a certificate of naturalization.

The two steps could be filed in different courts, even in different states, if the person moved in between.

Before 1906: any court, few details

Before 1906, any court could naturalize: federal, state, county or city. Records were kept by that court, and the forms varied widely. Many give only name, country of origin and date. To find them:

• Check the county courthouse where the person lived, as well as the nearest federal court.
• Look in the court minutes, not just separate naturalization books.
• Search FamilySearch and Ancestry, which have digitized many county naturalization records.

After 1906: standardized and detailed

The Basic Naturalization Act of 1906 created standard federal forms and sent duplicate copies to the federal government. Records after this date usually include birth date and place, arrival details, physical description, and the names of a spouse and children. After about 1930, they often include a photo.

Duplicates of post-1906 files are held by USCIS and can be requested through its Genealogy Program for a fee. Court copies are at the National Archives or the original court.

Use the census to find the year

The 1900–1930 censuses asked about citizenship. Look for these codes:

• Al: alien (not yet started)
• Pa: first papers filed
• Na: naturalized

The 1920 census also asked for the year of naturalization. Compare codes across censuses to narrow down when each step happened.

Women and children: derivative citizenship

You may not find papers for every family member, because many people became citizens automatically:

• From 1855 to 1922, a foreign-born woman who married a U.S. citizen, or whose husband naturalized, became a citizen through him. She won't have her own papers from that period.
• Also from 1907 to 1922, an American-born woman who married a foreign man lost her citizenship, and might later have to naturalize herself.
• Minor children generally became citizens when their father naturalized.

Once you have arrival details, go to Passenger Lists: Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Ship.