Naturalization History and Records

Kathryn Barrett will present "Naturalization: Its History and Records" at the next meeting of the Northwest Suburban Council of Genealogists to be held on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at Forest View Educational Center, Room 100, 2121 S. Goebbert Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois.

This program will cover the provisions in the law concerning naturalization as well as the process that was required for all immigrants wanting to become citizens. The presentation will also show the sources for researching available records.

Kathryn, who has 35 years of genealogy experience, is a researcher, teacher and lecturer at the local, regional and national level. She has been a volunteer at the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) at the Great Lakes Regional Center for more than 15 years. Kathryn is a professional member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Federation of Genealogical Society (FGS), and the Wisconsin State Historical Society. The recipients of her presentations include various genealogical societies, libraries, conferences, and other special interest groups. Kathryn has recently organized a local homeowner association genealogical group and makes monthly presentations on a wide variety of genealogical topics.

For more information contact the Society at 847-818-9159

Canadian naturalizations

Are you searching for ancestors who moved to Canada?

The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has posted a new version of the Canadian Naturalization 1915-1932 Database.

It includes the names of 206,731 individuals who applied for and received status as naturalized Canadians in that time period, and is one of a few Canadian genealogical resources designed to benefit researchers with roots outside the British Commonwealth.

References in the database can be used to request copies of the actual naturalization records, which are held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

The USCIS Genealogy Program is a fee-for-service program providing family historians and other researchers with timely access to historical immigration and naturalization records.

The Program offers two services:

1--Index Search: Using biographical information provided by the researcher, USCIS searches its historical immigration and naturalization record indices for citations related to a specific immigrant. Search results (record citations) are returned to the researcher, along with instructions on how to request the file(s) from USCIS or the National Archives. Fee: $20.00.

2--Record Copy Request: Researchers with valid record citations (USCIS file numbers), gained through a USCIS Genealogy Program index search or through independent research, may request copies of historical immigration and naturalization records. Fee: $20.00/$35.00

(depending on the record type). Records can include Naturalization Certificate Files, Alien Registration Forms, Visa files, Registry Files, and Alien Files.

Due to the tremendous number of requests received when this program became available, they are currently still answering requests received in mid-February 2009 or earlier.

Along the right column of the web page you will find importqant links to detailed information, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions about this service, and how to make a genealogy request.

Genealogy at USCIS

The Genealogy Program of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigratiion Services is a fee-for-service program providing family historians and other researchers with timely access to historical immigration and naturalization records.

you can submit orders online!

Records available through the USCIS Genealogy Program:
Naturalization Certificate Files (C-files) from September 27, 1906 to April 1, 1956
Alien Registration Forms from August 1, 1940 to March 31, 1944
Visa files from July 1, 1924 to March 31, 1944
Registry Files from March 2, 1929 to March 31, 1944
Alien Files (A-files) numbered below 8 million (A8000000) and documents therein dated prior to May 1, 1951

Naturalization Declarations of Intention: a New Database From the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court

Here is an exciting new online database that will be very valuable to genealogists:

COOK COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION ONLINE
Thanks to Dorothy Brown of the Cook County Circuit Court and a number of dedicated workers and volunteers, the Declarations of Intention (to become a citizen) Indexes are now online for the Circuit Court. The range of dates for the files begins with 1906 and ends with the latest dates entered (1922/23). The ending date will be 1929. This has been an ongoing project for a couple of years now, so it may be some time before all Declarations are uploaded (both Circuit Court and Superior Court). You can sort by surname, occupation, address...all sorts of ways to find a missing relative in case the surname is not recorded as currently spelled. Visit the Project's Web site to use this valuable resource.

(from the Gen Dobry newsletter, Written by Tom Sadauskas thomas.sadauskas@tma.osd.mil and Don Szumowski. Previously published by Gen Dobry!, Vol. IX, No. 9, 30 September 2008, PolishRoots(R): http://www.PolishRoots.org/. )