Immigration
Last updated 28 October 2015
Washington County Genealogical Society Library Naturalization Records
Some immigrants that moved to Iowa applied for citizenship through the court in Washington County. The documents processed included:
Declaration of Intention (1st papers) were filed 2 -7 years before the petition and an immigrant renounced his allegiance to his homeland and declared intention to become a U.S. citizen
Naturalization Petition (2nd or final papers) were filed when an immigrant filed the intention papers and met the residency requirements. These papers were the formal application for citizenship
Information may include: name, residence, occupation, date and place of birth, citizenship, personal description of applicant, date of immigration, ports of embarkation and arrival; marital status (with wife’s name and date of birth); names, dates, places of birth and residence of applicant’s children; date at which U.S. residence commenced; time of residence in state; name changes; and signature. After 1929 photographs were included in the final papers
Declaration of Intent
Book A 1854 – Jul 1906
Book B 1908 – Mar 1928
Naturalization Records
Book 1 Sept 1857 – 1902
Book 2 Mar 1905 – Nov 1906
Naturalization Certificate Stub Books
Book 3 Sept 1907 – Jan 1917
Book 4 Jan 1917 – Sept 1918
Book 5 Jan 1919 – Mar 1926
Naturalization Petition (and Declaration of Intent)
Book 6 June 1907 – Sept 1921
Book 7 Nov 1920 – Mar 1930
General Information on Immigration Laws & Requirements
Between 1776 and 1790, each state established laws, procedures and residency requirements for aliens to become naturalized citizens
First federal naturalization law passed in in 1790 – required applicants for citizenship be free white male, 21 years of age or older, who had lived in the United States for 2 years and in the state in which he applied for 1 year
Applicants could apply in any court of public record – federal, state or local
In 1795 a 2 step process was created to gain U.S. citizenship. First a Declaration of intention was to be filed and then a Petition for naturalization submitted at a minimum of 3 years later. Also, free white women, 21 years could now apply and the residency requirement extended to 5 years
The residency requirement was extended to 14 years in 1798, and changed back to 5 years in 1801
Declaration of intention changed from 3 years to 2 years in 1824
A nationality act of 1870 allowed for naturalization of those of African nativity or descent
Asians could not become citizens from 1882 until 1943; and Filipinos and Asian Indians were banned until 1946 (Asian Indians were permitted from 1910-1923)
Laws passed in 1887 and 1924 made American Indians citizens
The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (now the Immigration and Naturalization Service) was established in 1906. Copies of all naturalizations made in courts around the country were forwarded to this agency
Naturalization hearings and citizenship were granted after a 90 day wait period. There were no hearings 30 days prior to any general election. New U.S. citizens were given a certificate of citizenship
Between 1855 and 1922, an alien wife automatically became a citizen when her husband did or when she married an American citizen