To search U.S. citizenship records, first figure out which agency holds the file: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) keeps records created and filed at agency headquarters between 1893 and 1975, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) or state and local repositories hold most pre-1906 records. Then match your request to the right form based on whether the person you’re researching is living or deceased. Knowing how to search citizenship records the right way from the start saves months of wasted time, because processing on some requests now runs well over a year.
Which Agency Holds the Record
The dividing line is September 27, 1906. That’s when the Naturalization Act required all courts to send copies of naturalization paperwork to a central federal office, creating the standardized system behind modern searches. Anyone naturalized in any court, federal, state, or local, between that date and 1975 should have a file at USCIS. Some pre-1906 records that the agency happened to acquire are there too.
Before September 27, 1906, any “court of record” could grant citizenship. County courts, state courts, and federal courts all operated independently, and their records generally stayed with them. NARA does not, as a rule, hold naturalization records created in state or local courts from this era. Those live at state archives, historical societies, or the courts themselves. Some indexes and records have been donated to NARA regional facilities over the years, so it’s still worth asking.
Records of people naturalized after 1975 remain with USCIS, but they fall under Privacy Act protections and are handled through a different request process than historical records.
Free Places to Look First
Before you pay any fee or wait in any queue, check whether the record has already been digitized. Millions of naturalization records are freely searchable online, and a few minutes of looking can save you a fee and roughly a year of waiting.
FamilySearch.org, run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, hosts a large and growing free collection of digitized naturalization indexes and images searchable by state, with records from courts at every level. New databases are added monthly.
NARA lets you order copies of naturalization records in its custody through its OrderOnline system, and many regional facilities have indexes available in their research rooms. Some county court records held by NARA are also available as microfilm publications. If you’re focused on a particular state, contacting the NARA regional facility serving that state is often the fastest path to pre-1906 records.
Searching USCIS Records for a Deceased Person
The USCIS Genealogy Program is a fee-for-service program built for researchers seeking historical records of deceased immigrants. It runs in two steps: find the file number, then request the file.
Step 1: Index Search With Form G-1041
Form G-1041, the Genealogy Index Search Request, asks for biographical data on the person you’re researching:
- Full name (last, first, middle) exactly as it may have appeared on original documents
- Aliases and variant spellings, which matter for immigrants whose names were anglicized or misspelled at ports of entry
- Date of birth, exact if known, otherwise an estimated year
- Country or place of birth
If the person was born less than 100 years ago, you must include proof of death. USCIS accepts uncertified copies of death certificates, printed obituaries, funeral programs, photographs of gravestones, church or religious records, individual Social Security Death Index printouts, and records tied to payment of death benefits. Don’t send originals; USCIS won’t return them. If the subject was born more than 100 years before you submit, no proof of death is needed because USCIS presumes the person is no longer living.
Step 2: Records Request With Form G-1041A
Once the index search returns a file number, Form G-1041A gets you copies of the actual documents. If you already have the certificate number, printed in red on any naturalization or citizenship certificate issued after September 27, 1906, you can sometimes skip the index search and go straight to the records request. Note that the certificate number is different from the petition number found on court documents; confusing the two is one of the most common mistakes.
Fees and Processing Time
Each form costs $65, whether filed online through the USCIS Genealogy online request system or by paper. The online system walks you through the data entry, takes payment, and issues a case number for tracking.
Now for the reality check. As of early 2025, the average processing time for an index search (G-1041) is 191 business days, and for a records request (G-1041A) 300 business days. Combined, that’s well over a year from your first submission to receiving copies. If you’re on a deadline for a foreign passport application or a legal proceeding, start early.
Searching Records of a Living Person
The genealogy program doesn’t apply to the living. Records of living individuals are protected under the Privacy Act, which bars federal agencies from releasing records about someone without written consent, with narrow exceptions.
To get a living person’s citizenship records, you use Form G-639, the Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Request. The subject must provide either a declaration signed under penalty of perjury authorizing release, or a notarized affidavit of identity consenting to release. Without one of these, USCIS won’t release the file. For a minor child, a parent or legal guardian can authorize the release by providing proof of parentage or guardianship, such as a birth certificate or adoption decree.
There is no upfront filing fee for Form G-639. USCIS only charges when search and reproduction costs exceed $14, and non-commercial requesters get the first 100 pages and two hours of search time free.
Pre-1906 Records
If your search targets a naturalization from before September 27, 1906, plan on a different route entirely. The federal centralized system didn’t exist yet, so the record is likely still with the court that granted citizenship, or with a state archive or historical society that took custody later. Start with the NARA regional facility serving the state where the petitioner lived; staff can tell you what they hold and where else to look. State archives and county historical societies fill in most of the rest. FamilySearch’s state-organized collections often include pre-1906 court records that have been digitized.
What You’ll Need Before You Search
A successful search usually hinges on a few identifiers:
- The person’s full name as it appeared on original documents, plus known aliases and spelling variants
- Date and place of birth
- Approximate date and location of naturalization, if known
- The certificate number (in red) if you have any post-1906 certificate in hand
- Proof of death if the subject was born less than 100 years ago
The more of these you have, the better your odds of a match, especially for common names.
Related Requests You May Need
Proof That No Record Exists
Foreign governments processing dual nationality applications sometimes require documentation that a person was never naturalized. Form G-1566, Request for a Certificate of Non-Existence, handles this. There is no filing fee. If USCIS finds no matching records, it issues a formal certificate stating so; if records do exist, you get a notification instead. One narrow rule applies to U.S. citizens who married foreign nationals between 1907 and 1922: you must include a marriage certificate, because under the Expatriation Act of 1907 a woman could automatically lose U.S. citizenship on marrying a foreign national during that window, making the marriage record relevant. Proof of death is required if the subject was born less than 100 years ago.
Replacing Your Own Certificate
If your own naturalization or citizenship certificate has been lost, damaged, or destroyed, Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, is the route. It also covers replacements for Declarations of Intention, Repatriation Certificates, and special certificates issued for foreign recognition. Check the current fee on the USCIS Fee Schedule page before filing.
Derivative Citizenship
Not everyone who holds U.S. citizenship went through their own naturalization. Children of U.S. citizens born abroad, and certain children who automatically derived citizenship when a parent naturalized, may have no naturalization record in their own name. Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, formally documents that status. Supporting evidence includes your birth certificate, your parents’ marriage certificate, proof of your parent’s U.S. citizenship, and evidence of legal custody if your parents were divorced. A U.S. passport also serves as official evidence of citizenship, so some people find it simpler to apply for a passport through the State Department instead.
Military Naturalizations
Service members who naturalized through military service may have naturalization documents in their Official Military Personnel File at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Request them through the eVetRecs online system or by mailing Standard Form 180. You’ll need the veteran’s full name as used in service, service number, Social Security Number if available, branch and dates of service, and date and place of birth. Each request must be signed in cursive and dated within the last year. Access restrictions apply for service members who separated less than 62 years ago.
Authentication for Use Abroad
If a foreign government needs to see a naturalization certificate, expect a two-step authentication process. USCIS first produces a Certified True Copy, which requires an in-person appointment at your local USCIS office scheduled through the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. Bring your original certificate, a photocopy, and government-issued photo ID; for a deceased family member’s certificate, bring proof of your relationship. Then submit that copy to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, with Form DS-4194 and the required fee. If the destination country is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, you get an apostille; otherwise, an authentication certificate. As of late 2025, mailed State Department requests take five or more weeks; walk-in drop-offs take about seven business days. USCIS will not forward documents to State for you, so build both steps into your timeline.