CHECKLIST 2

NATURALIZATION OR LACK THEREOF

 

 

If Ancestor was Naturalized a U.S. citizen

• Certificate of Naturalization in certified copy (no translation, no apostille needed)

AND

• U.S. Declaration of Intention, Petition for Naturalization, Oath of Allegiance: Complete packet issued by National Archives (NARA), no translation required (it is an official document bearing the red ribbon and gold seal of the National Archives) (no translation, no apostille needed)

 

OR

 

• Certificate of Citizenship in certified copy (no translation, no apostille needed)

AND

• U.S. Application for Certificate of Citizenship: Complete packet issued by National Archives (NARA), no translation required (it is an official document bearing the red ribbon and gold seal of the National Archives) (no translation, no apostille needed)

 

If you cannot acquire a certificate of naturalization/citizenship or a petition

• An Official Statement, in original with Office Seal (not photocopy) from USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Washington, DC (with apostille, no translation required)

AND

• An Official Statement, in original with Office Seal (not photocopy) from the county court in which the ancestor resided, stating the number of the Certificate of Naturalization, the date of naturalization, ancestor’s full name (including any aka), place and date of birth (with apostille, no translation required)

 

 

If Ancestor Never Naturalized

• An Official Statement of No Records

(original, not a photocopy, and with the Office Seal and the envelope) from USCIS (with apostille, no translation)

AND

• An Official Statement of No Records

(original, not a photocopy, and with the Office Seal and the envelope) from NARA (with apostille, no translation)

 

AND one of the following

• Italian PASSPORT or U.S. GREEN CARD (photocopy) dated after the attainment of the legal age by the son or daughter to whom Italian citizenship is trasmitted (NO apostille or translation needed)
• Documentation (original, not a photocopy, and with the official seal) showing alien status from USCIS (i.e. ARC/Mod. AR-2) OR NARA dated after the attainment of the legal age by the son or daughter to whom Italian citizenship is transmitted (NO apostille or translation needed)
• NARA Census Record

The first U.S. Census, in certified copy, dated after the attainment of the legal age by the son or daughter to whom Italian citizenship is transmitted (NO apostille, no translation needed). It is an official document bearing the red ribbon and gold seal of the National Archives.

 

If Ancestor is still alive and is NOT a U.S. citizen

• his Italian passport

AND

• current U.S. permanent resident card (“green card”)

 

If Italian Ancestor went to a country other than the United States

You must present the naturalization record issued by that country. For more information, see the website of the responsible Italian Consulate/Embassy. A list of all Italian Consulates/Embassies abroad is available at https://www.esteri.it/en/ministero/struttura/laretediplomatica/.

 

 

NOTE

When submitting a request to one of these offices, please provide your Italian ancestor’s full name (and aliases, nicknames, and any other names appearing on any official document), possible places and dates of birth which he may have declared during his life, according to the ancestor’s documents and information available.

Conduct a search that covers the time of the arrival of your Italian ancestor in the United States to the birth of his child born in the United States and support it with official statements.

This Embassy’s Citizenship Office has the right to request additional documents beyond the ones provided by the applicant on the day of the appointment in order to determine the applicant’s eligibility for Italian citizenship.

 

 

LIST OF THE OFFICES YOU MAY CONTACT:

1. USCIS in Washington, DC (https://www.uscis.gov/). This office can provide a Certificate of Naturalization or a certification of nonexistence of a specific record.
2. National Archives in Washington, DC (https://www.archives.gov/). This office collects documents from all over the United States: you could obtain a certified copy of your ancestor’s petition for naturalization and oath of allegiance from the National Archives. Documents from NARA must be certified copies, bearing the red ribbon and gold seal of NARA. If no record is found, they should issue a letter stating it.
3. County Court in which he resided and in which his child was born. It can also provide the Certificate of Naturalization.
4. USCIS Genealogy Program in Washington, DC (https://www.uscis.gov/records/genealogy). This office can send you a copy of your ancestor’s certificate or alien registration card, which must be supported by a county or NARA record, because USCIS will only release a certified copy to the person who received citizenship.
5. Regional Office of the National Archives. This office keeps federal documents related to the states in their area of jurisdiction. You can also obtain a certified copy of your ancestor’s petition for naturalization and oath of allegiance. Documents from NARA must be certified copies, bearing the red ribbon and gold seal of NARA. If the search shows NO RECORD, NARA can issue the alien registration card.
6. Census record. It may provide additional information relevant to your case even if based on the information provided by the individual: immigration records, naturalization records, ship passenger lists, military records, U.S. passport applications, voter list records, and others (https://www.census.gov/). Ask for the first U.S. Census dated after the birth of the Italian-born ascendant’s child.