The Naturalization Process

In the United States, before 1952, the naturalization process began with a Declaration of Intent to become a citizen. This declaration is also referred to as "First Papers." Three years after this declaration was filed, and five years after arriving in the country, a Petition for Naturalization ("Second Papers") could be filed in the same or a different court. A Certificate of Citizenship could then be issued.

Until 1922, a foreign-born woman married to a naturalized citizen was automatically made a citizen. Until 1940, a child under the age of 21 was granted citizenship based on the status of his father. After 22 Sept 1922 an alien woman who married a US citizen could skip the Declaration of Intention and file for a Naturalization Petition. But if an alien woman married an alien man she would have to start her naturalization proceedings at the beginning with a Declaration of Intention.

Jill Cruse provided the images of indexes to original Declarations of Intent from 20 Dec 1855 to 2 Mar 1880. They were transcribed by Don Kelly (A-K) and edited and formatted by Richard Harrison. Original images are included when available. Volunteers are needed to transcribe the remaining documents. 

Copies of Naturalization papers or Declaration of Intent can be obtained from the Des Moines County Genealogical Society, PO Box 493, Burlington, Iowa, 52601, for a modest fee, or from the Des Moines County Courthouse.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


SURNAME
GIVEN NAME
BIRTHPLACE
FILE DATE
NOTES
DAEHNFredrickPrussia26 Apr 1879 
DAGHERTYPatrickIreland10 Oct 1856 
DAILYPatrickIreland3 Dec 1873 
DALSTATAndrew P.Sweden16 Mar 1861 
DALEYPatrickIreland9 Oct 1856 
DALEYPatrickIreland17 Dec 1857 
DAMNCharlesMecklenburg–Schwerin3 Jan 1857 
DANCHF. E.Prussia22 May 1874 
DANEHAYJohnIreland29 Aug 1872 
DANEHAYPatrickIreland29 Aug 1872 
DANIELSONErlanSweden21 Apr 1874 
DANIELSONJohnSweden21 Sep 1874 
DANKWARDTCharlesGermany25 Sep 1856 
DANUSERStephenSwitzerland11 Aug 1873 
DARIUSJohanSaxony6 Nov 1876 
DAUBENDIEKFredPrussia4 Nov 1879 
DAVISJohnWales21 Dec 1855 
DEHNGeorgeHesse–Darmstadt3 Jan 1874 
DEINHARDJohnSaxe–Weimar3 Jan 1857 
DEJONLoursBarim7 Jan 1859 
DELANGLeberechtPrussia15 Aug 1860 
DEMPSEYWm. H.Ireland10 Oct 1871 
DENNIESFrederickPrussia14 Nov 1873 
DEPPERMANFrederickPrussia2 Oct 1860 
DESGRANGESDanielPrussia28 Jan 1863 
DETERINGFred H.Prussia2 Feb 1874 
DETERINYHenryPrussia27 Jan 1869(Deteryiny?)
DEVARMartin H.Ireland30 Jul 1856 
DEVONEYPeterIreland25 Feb 1870 
DICKIEJamesScotland24 Oct 1868 
DICKSONPeterScotland14 Oct 1873 
DIEDRICHCarlPrussia8 Oct 1868 
DIEDRICKFerdinandStralsund, Germany4 Mar 1878 
DIEDRICHNicholasFrance25 Jan 1862 
DIENERCarl Fred'kWurtemberg9 Jan 1875 
DIERSHenryHanover8 Oct 1856 
DIESTELHORSTDanielPrussia3 Nov 1856 
DIETSCHCasperSaxe-Meiningen8 Sep 1869 
DIETSCHLouisPrussia25 Sep 1872 
DIETZJohnNassau, Germany5 Feb 1872 
DILLONBartIreland7 Oct 1866Came to U.S. 1849.
DIMENENLouis JuliusDenmark31 Jul 1860 
DIMLINGNicholasBavaria24 Apr 1857 
DITTNERWilhelmPrussia17 Oct 1876 
DOBELMANNCharlesWurtemberg13 Jun 1871 
DODENHermannPrussia16 Nov 1868 
DOHERTYJamesIreland25 Oct 1856 
DONAHUEMauriceIreland3 Jan 1857 
DONAVANBenjaminIreland3 Jan 1857 
DORANFintonIreland30 Jul 1856 
DORENJohnIreland15 Aug 1857 
DORMHEUFNERFranz CharlesBavaria14 Oct 1858 
DOWLINGSamuelIreland9 Oct 1866 
DOYLEOwenIreland15 Aug 1856 
DRAGERHenri (Henry)Prussia12 Oct 1857 
DREBENSTEDTChristianPrussia13 Apr 1876 
DRECKMEYERFred'kPrussia29 Aug 1872 
DREIERCh. W.Prussia3 Jun 1871 
DRINKALLThomasEngland1 Oct 1878 
DRINKALLWilliamEngland19 Feb 1876 
DROGIMEIERHenrichPrussia31 Oct 1856 
DUFFYMichael E.Ireland16 Apr 1868 
DULAHYMichaelIreland30 Jul 1856 
DUMMLERJohn A.Germany2 Aug 1856 
DUNGENWilliamIreland1 Feb 1858 
DURMEYERHenryPrussia6 Jan 1869 
DURNBACHAnton HassanGermany1 Sep 1856(Massan?)

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