ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:03 pm
Post subject: Citizenship and Naturalization Records - Genealogy Requests
Does your ancestor have immigration records at USCIS or at the National Archives?
***ALSO*** Keep reading down the messages to April 5, 2013 to see how Cheri got her grandfather's paperwork from the National Archives
In March of 2010, I learned that the USCIS - US Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the INS Immigration & Naturalization Service) has a genealogy section. You can visit their site at https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/genealogy/historical-records-series-available-genealogy-program
This is a a fee-for-service program providing what they call timely access to historical immigration and naturalization records. This is not a free service and it is relatively expensive (between 45 and 60 US dollars) It involves 2 payments. The first will cost you $25 to do a search of one person based on the information you provide. Several months later, you will receive a letter stating whether they found anything. You will not get a refund if they find nothing. If they found some records in their microfiche, you then pay them again to copy and send you the records. The cost for the records will be either $20 or $35.
According to their website, USCIS has the following records:
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) and documents dated prior to May 1, 1951
The website attempts to describe these files, but I still did not get a good sense of what these records contain. USCIS does not provide examples of these files for you to get a look at before deciding to proceed. Click here to read their descriptions: http://tinyurl.com/USCIS-genrecord
I tried to find someone who had done this before so I could get an idea of what I was spending my money on, but I was not successful. Not sure what I would find, I went ahead and made 2 search requests. I paid 25 US dollars for each search in March 2010 and got a reply in July 2010. Due to some mistakes on my part and some reluctance to spend more money, I did not move to step 2 and request physical copies of the actual records until today. I thought that others might be interested in this process and what I utimately end up with, so I'm going to describe how I did it.
In the next thread I will tell you what information I gathered before I began my request.
If you have gone through this process, please add your comments!
Shellie[/i]
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:09 pm
Post subject:
Before you decide to spend the money for a search on USCIS.gov, gather up all the information you have about your ancestor. If you have a naturalization certificate number you can read down this thread to April 5, 2013 - where Cheri describes how she ordered her grandfather's paperwork from the National Archive.
Name and date of birth are the 2 main pieces of info and USCIS can do a search with those two things, but I dont recommend it. If they dont find your ancestor with just a name and birth date, you are out 25 dollars and have no records. This is the info that I gathered from my own genealogy files before I started my search request:
Name: I made a list of all spelling variations for first and last name. USCIS researchers will search only the alternate names that you provide and cannot return records for names other than those provided.
Date of Birth: you can also give an approximate date. If the date of birth was less than 100 years ago, you will have to provide proof of death with your request.
Date of arrival: - I checked my ancestors ship manifest. Providing the exact date (or dates if they made several trips) that your ancestor arrived in the US and the name of the ship, this will help narrow the search.
Residences: I gathered all of the information I had about where my ancestor lived and the approximate years. You dont need the exact address, the city and state is enough.
Family member names: I also gathered all the info I had about immediate family members. The names of family members (children, spouse, sometimes parents) may help the researchers locate your immigrant - However, family member names are used only to help locate the subject of your request. If you want a search done for family members, you must submit a separate $25 request!!
Gather additional info - If you know the date of naturalization, military service, marriage, or other important information, gather it before you start your request. There will be a space for you to provide other biographical information that may help researchers find your immigrant. For example, providing the dates of military service may point our researchers toward a record of military naturalization. You can also explain or provide additional information about conflicting dates of birth.
After you have gathered your info, take the time to carefully read the information on the webpage. You can make a request by postal mail, but I am only going to talk about making a request online because that is the way I did it. The USCIS.gov website has directions for you if you prefer to make your request by postal mail.[/i]
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:17 pm
Post subject:
When you begin your request, you go to the section on the left hand side of the webpage that says Make a Genealogy Request. I have outlined this with a red oval on the image that I posted above in the previous thread. Get out your credit card!
Once you click on Make a Genealogy Request again read the contents carefully. Unless you have already made a request and are just requesting the records, then you should read the info carefully and plan to request an INDEX SEARCH. To do this, you will click on the words Order Online Now in the upper right corner. I have outlined this with a purple square in the image that I posted above in the previous thread.
Clicking Order Online Now will take you to the Web Request Page where you will begin to fill out the search request form. You will want to choose the first option and choose an INDEX SEARCH REQUEST see the next image with the section outlined in green.
Once you choose, you will immediately be taken to a page where you will fill out your own personal information and then begin to fill in the info about your ancestor.
IMPORTANT:
At the end of the forms, you will be prompted to choose a secret question and answer. DO NOT lose this!!! It may take several months for the USCIS to get back to you. Once they got back to me, I had forgotten my question and answer and could not get online to make my second request for records. There is no reset button, no password request, and no tech support. I sent several requests to USCIS for help and after 3 months did not receive a reply so I finally had to make my request for records by mail with a money order (they wont accept personal checks).
In my next thread I will post images of the letters I received from USCIS after they completed the searchs for my ancestors.
Below you can view screen shots of the request pages. The image quality is not the best, but you should get the idea. Click on the image to see a larger view.
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Don
Joined: 13 May 2010
Replies: 39
Location: Temperance, MiBack to top |
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 8:39 am
Post subject: Re: US Citizenship and Immigration Service Genealogy Request
| Shellie wrote: | In March of 2010, I learned that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the INS Immigration & Naturalization Service) has a genealogy section. You can visit their site at www.uscis.gov. I created a tiny url to take you directly to the genealogy section: http://tinyurl.com/USCIS-gen
This is a a fee-for-service program providing what they call timely access to historical immigration and naturalization records. This is not a free service and it is relatively expensive (between 45 and 60 US dollars) It involves 2 payments. The first will cost you $25 to do a search of one person based on the information you provide. Several months later, you will receive a letter stating whether they found anything. You will not get a refund if they find nothing. If they found some records in their microfiche, you then pay them again to copy and send you the records. The cost for the records will be either $20 or $35.
According to their website, USCIS has the following records:
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) and documents dated prior to May 1, 1951
The website attempts to describe these files, but I still did not get a good sense of what these records contain. USCIS does not provide examples of these files for you to get a look at before deciding to proceed. Click here to read their descriptions: http://tinyurl.com/USCIS-genrecord
I tried to find someone who had done this before so I could get an idea of what I was spending my money on, but I was not successful. Not sure what I would find, I went ahead and made 2 search requests. I paid 25 US dollars for each search in March 2010 and got a reply in July 2010. Due to some mistakes on my part and some reluctance to spend more money, I did not move to step 2 and request physical copies of the actual records until today. I thought that others might be interested in this process and what I utimately end up with, so I'm going to describe how I did it.
In the next thread I will tell you what information I gathered before I began my request.
If you have gone through this process, please add your comments!
Shellie |
Hi Shelli,
I used this service last June. My computer was being replaced so I relied on snail mail to receive the proper forms for my request. I found an alien registration receipt card, among old papers, which belonged to my wife's grandmother. On the card was a seven digit number. Under that number was filed a form containing a wealth of information about her immigrant grandmother. At that time, my request only took about 14 days from start to finish. I did not have to request an index search because of that number. We were happy with the results. Don&Judy
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:19 pm
Post subject:
Many thanks to Don and Judy for sharing thier experience.
I found some info about Alien Registration. It appears that there were 2 periods of registration one around WWI and the other around WWII.
After the onset of WWI a national security measure required all non-naturalized immigrants, or "Enemy Aliens" to register with United States government. This occurred between Nov 1917 and Apr 1918 and refusal to register could lead to deportation. I have not seen these records, but have gathered some info from online descriptions. The records include:
Full name (including maiden name)
Place of birth, Current residence and how long lived there
Name and residence of spouse
Names, sex, and years of birth of children
Parents names (inkling mothers maiden name), birthdate, & birthplace
Sisters and Brothers names, dates of birth, and current residence.
Have any male relatives serving in the military for/against US
If registered for military draft and previous military or government service
Date of immigration, name of vessel and port of arrival
If applied for naturalization or took out first papers
If ever arrested or detained on any charges
Signature, Photograph, Description of registrant
Fingerprints
There is no indication on the USCIS website that USCIS has Alien Registration files from 1917-1918. Information on About.com:Genealogy indicates that WWI Alien Registration files are scarce and scattered in different locations. Read more here: http://genealogy.about.com/od/immigration/p/alien_cards.htm
NARA has a searchable database of this set of records, but it is not indexed, and is reportedly difficult to search. See this link for more info: http://www.naturalizationrecords.com/usa/alienreg1917-21intro.shtml
Another round of Alien Registrations began in August 1940 through March 1944 to fingerprint and create a record of every alien age 14 and older living in the US and entering the US. INS started to use the Alien Registration Form (AR-2), which included a unique Alien Registration Number.
AR-2 Forms from August 1940 - March 1944 were microfilmed (originals forms were destroyed). The microfilm contains 5,665,983 AR-2 Forms. These forms on microfilm are arranged in numerical order, and are indexed by name, date of birth, and place of birth.
The microfilmed forms are technically not part of the A-File series (more info on A-Files in another thread). The existence of an A-number from the early 1940s does not guarantee the existence of an A-File. This is a bit confusing and the USCIS does not directly state whether AR-2 forms will be included with your records request if they find an A-File for your ancestor.
Many resident aliens registered during 1940-1941 had been in the US for decades For some who arrived in the 1880s, the Alien Registration form is USCISs only record for that immigrant. The AR-2 form asked for the information listed below, but not all registrants filled them out fully.
Name, Name at entry in US, and aliases, alternate spellings, maiden names
Address; Date of Birth; Citizenship/Nationality
Gender; Marital Status; Race
Height & Weight; Hair & Eye Color
Port, date, ship and class of admission at last arrival in US
Date of first arrival in US
Years lived in US; Intended stay in US
Usual occupation; Present occupation
Present employer, including address
Club, organization, or society memberships
Military service (Country, branch, dates)
Date and number of Declaration of Intention (if filed), and city and State where filed.
Date of Petition for Naturalization (if filed), and city and State where filed.
Arrest history
Fingerprint; Signature; Date and place of registration
** USCIS states that family member names DO NOT appear on the forms.
** Many people have numbers written on their ship manifests that are associated with their naturalization process. Do not assume that this is an Alien Registration number.
If your ancestor was naturalized around 1942-1956, the A-number may appear at the bottom of the naturalization index card maintained by the naturalization court. There should be an AR-2 Form if that number is below approximately 5.6 million. If you ancestor did not ever naturalize after arriving the US, and you are lucky enough to have their personal papers, those papers might include the number. The USCIS states that the best way to identify the correct A-number is to submit a Genealogy Index Search Request on form G-1041. See their website here: http://tinyurl.com/USCIS-AR-2
If I find an image of an Alien Registration form, I'll attach it here later.
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Don
Joined: 13 May 2010
Replies: 39
Location: Temperance, MiBack to top |
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:05 pm
Post subject:
| Shellie wrote: | Hi Don&Judy,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Do you think that 7-digit number was her alien registration number? It sounds like you found her Alien Registration form??
I found some info about Alien Registration. It appears that there were 2 periods of registration one around WWI and the other around WWII.
After the onset of WWI a national security measure required all non-naturalized immigrants, or "Enemy Aliens" to register with United States government. This occurred between Nov 1917 and Apr 1918 and refusal to register could lead to deportation. I have not seen these records, but have gathered some info from online descriptions. The records include:
Full name (including maiden name)
Place of birth, Current residence and how long lived there
Name and residence of spouse
Names, sex, and years of birth of children
Parents names (inkling mothers maiden name), birthdate, & birthplace
Sisters and Brothers names, dates of birth, and current residence.
Have any male relatives serving in the military for/against US
If registered for military draft and previous military or government service
Date of immigration, name of vessel and port of arrival
If applied for naturalization or took out first papers
If ever arrested or detained on any charges
Signature, Photograph, Description of registrant
Fingerprints
There is no indication on the USCIS website that USCIS has Alien Registration files from 1917-1918. Information on About.com:Genealogy indicates that WWI Alien Registration files are scarce and scattered in different locations. Read more here: http://genealogy.about.com/od/immigration/p/alien_cards.htm
NARA has a searchable database of this set of records, but it is not indexed, and is reportedly difficult to search. See this link for more info: http://www.naturalizationrecords.com/usa/alienreg1917-21intro.shtml
Another round of Alien Registrations began in August 1940 through March 1944 to fingerprint and create a record of every alien age 14 and older living in the US and entering the US. INS started to use the Alien Registration Form (AR-2), which included a unique Alien Registration Number.
AR-2 Forms from August 1940 - March 1944 were microfilmed (originals forms were destroyed). The microfilm contains 5,665,983 AR-2 Forms. These forms on microfilm are arranged in numerical order, and are indexed by name, date of birth, and place of birth.
The microfilmed forms are technically not part of the A-File series (more info on A-Files in another thread). The existence of an A-number from the early 1940s does not guarantee the existence of an A-File. This is a bit confusing and the USCIS does not directly state whether AR-2 forms will be included with your records request if they find an A-File for your ancestor.
Many resident aliens registered during 1940-1941 had been in the US for decades For some who arrived in the 1880s, the Alien Registration form is USCISs only record for that immigrant. The AR-2 form asked for the information listed below, but not all registrants filled them out fully.
Name, Name at entry in US, and aliases, alternate spellings, maiden names
Address; Date of Birth; Citizenship/Nationality
Gender; Marital Status; Race
Height & Weight; Hair & Eye Color
Port, date, ship and class of admission at last arrival in US
Date of first arrival in US
Years lived in US; Intended stay in US
Usual occupation; Present occupation
Present employer, including address
Club, organization, or society memberships
Military service (Country, branch, dates)
Date and number of Declaration of Intention (if filed), and city and State where filed.
Date of Petition for Naturalization (if filed), and city and State where filed.
Arrest history
Fingerprint; Signature; Date and place of registration
** USCIS states that family member names DO NOT appear on the forms.
** Many people have numbers written on their ship manifests that are associated with their naturalization process. Do not assume that this is an Alien Registration number.
If your ancestor was naturalized around 1942-1956, the A-number may appear at the bottom of the naturalization index card maintained by the naturalization court. There should be an AR-2 Form if that number is below approximately 5.6 million. If you ancestor did not ever naturalize after arriving the US, and you are lucky enough to have their personal papers, those papers might include the number. The USCIS states that the best way to identify the correct A-number is to submit a Genealogy Index Search Request on form G-1041. See their website here: http://tinyurl.com/USCIS-AR-2
If I find an image of an Alien Registration form, I'll attach it here later. |
Hi Shelli,
The number on the alien registration receipt was used in Chicago to locate her records, which we have. Her fingerprint is also on the receipt, which was dated 21 Oct, 1940. We have more info about her than we would have via the ships manifest. Just thought we would share this with you.
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:58 pm
Post subject:
If your ancestor never became a citizen either because he/she never attempted to, or started but never completed the naturalization process, there may be an Alien Registration form (AR-2) or an A-File at USCIS.
I have attached a letter I received from USCIS in response to one of my search initial search request. The USCIS said that they have an A-File for my ancestor. The cost to receive a copy of the contents of the A-File is $35. If you made your request online and you remember your log-in and secret question & answer, you can order the file online with a credit card. If you have problems with the log in and can not get through the secret question (like me) you will have to print out a paper copy of the order form and send it my snail mail with a cashiers check or money order (No Personal Checks). The USCIS website does not state who to write out the check or money order to. I tried several times to email USCIS to ask them about this and never received a response. So I finally got a money order and wrote it out to USCIS genealogy program. I sent it around 04 NOV 2010. Well see if they accept it.
About A-Files (Alien Files): I have taken this information from the USCIS website. For more detailed information go to: http://tinyurl.com/USCIS-AFiles
In 1940, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) began issuing each immigrant an alien registration number. Starting in April 1944, INS began using this number to create individual files Alien Files (A-Files). Immigrants who entered the US between 01 April 1944 and 01 May 1951 should have an A-File if they did not naturalize before 01 April 1956. Those who did naturalize after this date had their information moved into a C-File (and the A-File was removed).
Immigrants who were already in the US and registered between 1940-1944 will have an A-number below 8 million and an Alien Registration Form on microfilm, but no A-file (unless their case re-opened after 1944). Cases were reopened when an immigrant filed for various applications, such as document replacement, border crossing cards, or to petition for an immigrant relative.
If an immigrant naturalized after about 1942, the A-number may appear on a court naturalization records index card.
You can only request A-Files numbered below 8 million via a USCIS Genealogy Record Request. For A-Files numbered 8 million and above, requests must be made through the USCIS Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Program. A-Files may include documents containing personal information about other persons (called "third parties") who may still be living, such as the immigrant's children, other family, or neighbors. A document containing third party personal information is not releasable outside the Freedom of Information (FOIA) process, so some records received from the Genealogy Program may have some information redacted.
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 4:04 pm
Post subject:
If your ancestor completed the process and became a citizen, there may be a C-File at USCIS.
I have attached an image of the letter I received from USCIS after my March 2010 request for an Index search of my ancestor. Their reply, which arrived in Aug 2010, stated that my ancestor had a C-File available for ($20)
USCIS states that some C-File microfilm has deteriorated and record images can come out to be quite faded.
This information about C Files was taken from the USCIS website. For more detailed info see: http://tinyurl.com/USCIS-CFiles
C-Files are Certificate Files that contain naturalization records. Initially, courts forwarded copies of Declarations of Intention, Petitions for Naturalization, and naturalization certificates to Washington, D.C. Later, Congress expanded the Naturalization Service authority to create additional C-Files relating to derivative and resumed U.S. citizenship, as well as repatriation.
C-Files dated 1906 to about 1944 (C-1 to C-6500000) were microfilmed in the 1950s and the original files were destroyed. C-Files C-6500000 to approximately C-7700000 (to March 31, 1956) are considered Consolidated C-Files containing all agency records on that individual subject. USCIS does not state whether this set of C-Files are in paper form or on microfilm.
The Naturalization Service verified your ancestors arrival information by checking the original immigration record. This is why we will often see numbers notated near our ancestors name on a ship manifest.
Contents of a C-File can vary by date and the circumstances of the naturalization such as when the person naturalized, under what provisions of law they applied, and if there was further activity in their case after naturalization. Cases re-opened later for replacement of lost certificates, derivative citizenship claims, proof of citizenship for job applications, background investigations, insurance claims, or pension benefits.
Make sure your have the correct C-File number before you send a request to USCIS. They suggest that you first submit an Index Search Request to determine the correct number. Some people confuse the naturalization courts petition number with a C-number and others think the annotations on ship passenger lists are C-numbers (or A-numbers). If you request a C-file and the number you provide does not match the name (or alternate names) you provided in the request, you receive no file and no refund.
C-Files may include personal information about other persons (called "third parties") who may still be alive, such as petitions that list the minor children of the immigrant. A document containing third party personal information is not releasable outside the Freedom of Information (FOIA) process, so some records received from the Genealogy Program may have some information redacted.
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 7:17 pm
Post subject:
Well, as I said, having the USCIS search for your ancestor is a bit expensive with no guarantees or money back. I submitted a request to find my great-great-grandmother who came from Poland in 1913 but did not become a citizen. She died here in the US in 1960 but my 20 dollar USCIS search found nothing. USCIS suggested that I try again if I'm sure that there is info about her, but I'd have to pay for another search.
By the way, USCIS did receive my money order for the files on my other ancestors. The expected wait time for these files is 120 days.
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 10:23 pm
Post subject:
I did get results from USCIS for both of my great-grandfathers. For my paternal great-grandfather, USCIS had a C-File that contained microfilm/microfiche of:
1936 Declaration of Intention (with a photo!!!)
1939 Petition for Naturalization
1940 Certificate of Naturalization (with photo!!)
The USCIS warns that some microfilm/fiche is not in the best condition, so don't expect excellent images. I was pleased with what I received, especially since I have precious few images of my great-grandfather!!!
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:59 pm
Post subject:
Has anyone else tried this method to obtain citizenship info? There are other, less expensive ways to get this information, but I have not tried them.
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:47 pm
Post subject: USCIS or INS
How do I find Declaration of Intention and Certificate of Naturalization records for my Great Grandfather Stanislaw Ciotuszynski who arrived in America May 12, 1888???
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ShelliePO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Replies: 1000
Location: Atlanta, GABack to top |
Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 6:00 pm
Post subject: Re: USCIS or INS
| Ciot wrote: | | How do I find Declaration of Intention and Certificate of Naturalization records for my Great Grandfather Stanislaw Ciotuszynski who arrived in America May 12, 1888??? |
Wow. Ciot, I'm really sorry that I didn't see this message when you posted it back in August. Have you found what you were looking for since your posting? If not, do you have details about your g-grandfather for each of the areas I mentioned earlier in this post, such as:
Name: including a list of all spelling variations for first and last name.
Date of Birth: or approximate
Date of arrival
Residences
Family member names
Additional info - If you know the date of naturalization, military service, marriage, or other important information
If you have the above info, then you probably have enough info to submit a request for a search using the steps I described in earlier posts on this thread.
Shellie
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Cheri Vanden BergPO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 16 Oct 2011
Replies: 504
Back to top |
Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:23 pm
Post subject:
Yesterday I was able to order my grandfather's Naturalization record from the National Archives for $10.
Here is the site:
https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECmd=Start&SWEHo=eservices.archives.gov
click Order Reproductions, click Immigration and Naturalization, click Naturalization records
These are questions that are asked, and what was required for the $10. fee. It's my understanding that it costs more if they have to search. I added the petition number, and any other information that I had, even when that information wasn't required. I found my grandfather's petition number in an index at Family Search. I believe Ancestry has some indexed as well.:
Naturalization Information
State: [required]
City: [required]
Date Range: [required, I knew the year, but I think there was a range of years that I had to choose from]
Country of Origin:
Date of Arrival in the U.S. (MM/DD/YYYY):
Petitioner Identification
First Name: [required]
Middle Name:
Last Name: [required]
Year of Birth (YYYY): [required] (Here's where it helps to find the Naturalization in an index. If your ancestor is like mine, there is more than one birth year on records, so it helps to know what was on the Naturalization record)
Month/Day of Birth (MM/DD):
Name of Spouse:
Residence Information
Street Address (at the Time of Naturalization):
City (at the Time of Naturalization): [required]
County (at the Time of Naturalization): [required]
Petition Information
Name of Issuing Court:
Petition Number:
Volume:
Page:
Oh, and I was very surprised when I read this:
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Does NARA charge for an unsuccessful search?
Answer: Our success in locating the records you have requested depends on the completeness and accuracy of the information you have provided. However, no payment is required if NARA is unable to locate the requested records.
Last edited by Cheri Vanden Berg on Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Cheri Vanden BergPO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 16 Oct 2011
Replies: 504
Back to top |
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:20 pm
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Follow up: I ordered my grandfather's Naturalization record on Thursday, and I received it on Saturday. It included a Declaration of Intention, a Petition for Citizenship, an Oath of Allegiance, and a Certificate of Arrival.
I was a little disappointed that it didn't include a Certificate of Citizenship, like Shellie got for her great-grandfather. There wouldn't have been any genealogical information in it. The truth is, I was really hoping for a photo of my grandfather, even though I do have photos of him. His Naturalization was in 1933, and Shellie's great grandfather's was in 1940, so that might be the reason for that.
I just looked to see what someone could expect to get:
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is included in a naturalization petition file (records)?
Answer: A naturalization petition file at a minimum consists of a petition for naturalization and may include other documents such as a declaration of intention. The information in records issued prior to September 27, 1906, varies widely and may contain no genealogical information at all.
I'm happy with what I received. I wasn't happy with Raymond Crist, Commisioner of Naturalization, who "Hereby Certified" that immigration records showed that Jan Depa arrived in NY May 22, 1913 on the SS Vaterland. He was asleep on the job or something, because the Vaterland didn't sail until 1914! I have suspected for a number of years that my grandfather had come under his brother's name to avoid the Austrian draft. I thought maybe he'd be forced to admit that he came under an alias when they didn't find him on a manifest, but I guess not! I did look through the whole manifest of a ship that did arrive on that date, even though I didn't expect him to be on it.
After finding that Jan Depa's wife, my grandmother, was born in Zaluczne (thanks to kind souls here at Polish Origins), someone told me that her birth place should be on his Naturalization records. Well, his Declaration of Intent just said that they were both born in Poland. I expected that, because that's what I got $54. later, when I ordered their Social Security Applications. Anyway, that person was right, on the Petition for Citizenship it says he was born in Swilcza (which I knew), and she was born in ZALUCZNE. If I would have known that information could possibly be there, I would have sent for his Naturalization record years ago!
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