• Men and women hold their right hands up as they take part in a naturalization ceremony, 1976. Title: "Naturalization ceremony for 113 new U.S. citizens. Citizenship Day, State Capitol. 1976. Photo locator: J4.8 p4 in the MNHS Collections.
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Historic Naturalization Record Search Request

Historic Naturalization Record Search Request

The printed, stamped, and mailed naturalization packet is intended for individuals needing the documents for official purposes such as dual citizenship applications.

The packet will contain some or all of the following documents:

  • Declaration of Intention
  • Final Papers (Petition and Record)
  • Letter from the Minnesota Historical Society library manager verifying the authenticity of the records and also explaining why we are not able to certify the documents
  • Citations for the records
  • Letter explaining the research process and researcher notes if the requested record is not found, or only partially found

Each document is printed on 8.5”x11” paper. On the reverse side of each document is the Minnesota State Archives stamp.

Packets are mailed through the U.S.P.S. We are not able to expedite the document delivery.

Library staff are working to add a new notarized document option to our Printed, Stamped, and Mailed Naturalization Records Request. This new level of service will be for individuals who need notarized naturalization records for official uses, including certain dual citizenship applications.

This option will be available sometime in 2024.

For this research service, Library Staff will search for one individual per request, and will look for both First and Final Papers.

Price: $10.00

Digital delivery via email and scanning fees are included in the price
Printed, stamped, and mailed - additional $7
Notarized for official use - not currently available.

MNHS Members receive 10% discount at checkout

Turnaround: Research is usually completed and sent within 60 business days.

About This Research Service:

The Minnesota Historical Society cannot issue certified copies of any naturalization records from our collections. However, we can stamp each page of a physical copy, demonstrating that your copy came from the Minnesota State Archives collections. Stamped copies have been accepted for various U.S. and international purposes in the past.

Please choose the “Printed, Stamped, and Mailed” delivery option if documents are needed for an official purpose. 

Due to the added staff time and necessary mailing fees, there is an additional $7 fee per packet of stamped naturalization papers.

More information about Naturalization records

Minors were very rarely individually naturalized; they took their citizenship from their parents. Also, most women were not naturalized in their own right until 1922. Prior to that year, a woman was considered to be naturalized if her husband received his citizenship.

MNHS holds naturalization records from all 87 Minnesota District (County) Courts and the Minnesota Supreme Court. For most counties, these records date from the 1850s through the 1940s. The usual process had two parts: a Declaration of Intent (First Papers) and a Petition for Naturalization (Final Papers).

Most people filed their naturalization paperwork in their county of residence, but if you know or suspect that the immigrant would have traveled elsewhere to file, please provide that information in the Order Comments box.

After the county courts stopped granting citizenship in the 1970s, all naturalizations went through the federal courts. MNHS does not have federal records. Historic records filed with federal courts in Minnesota are held by the National Archives regional offices in Chicago and Kansas City.

Modern citizenship records are held by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, a part of the Department of Homeland Security. If you need an official copy of your own records, please request a copy through their office.

 

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