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Archiver > USA-Naturalizations > 2004-06 > 1087921865


From: "Lorine McGinnis Schulze" <>
Subject: Re: [USA-Nat] mandatory naturalization
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 12:31:05 -0400
In-Reply-To: <020001c45870$76cc52e0$f386e043@r8i5g4>


On 22 Jun 2004 at 8:49, TutuLu wrote:

> Please forgive me. I definitely did not word my question
> correctly, smile.
>
> Was there a point in our history that immigrants who came
> here were automatically citizens? For example, several of
> my family lines came to colonial America before American
> independence and statehood. Were they automatically
> considered citizens then? At what point did immigrants need
> to be naturalized to become citizens, if they so chose?
> LuAna Drake Craig
>

Hello LuAna

Part of my answer is the same as my last response -- to
learn more about Naturalization, see
http://www.naturalizationrecords.com/usa/

You will want to scroll down to SPECIAL CASES.

There was no automatic bestowal of citizenship except in
some special cases. For example, from 1790 to 1940,
children under the age of 21 automatically became
naturalized citizens upon the naturalization of their
father

From 1790 to 1922, wives of naturalized men automatically
became citizens. This also meant that an alien woman who
married a U.S. citizen automatically became a citizen.

It's important to note that in Colonial times (and
earlier), individuals had to swear oaths of allegiance to
their new King - so when America was ruled by the British,
someone from Germany for example would have to swear an
oath of allegiance to the King of England. So pre 1790
British immigrants were automatically citizens of the
colonies (British empire) but immigrants were not.

After the American Revolution, each state established its
own rules for naturalization

http://www.naturalizationrecords.com/usa/residency.shtml
gives an outline of Changes in Residency Requirements and
should answer your questions

Lorine






Lorine McGinnis Schulze

* Olive Tree Genealogy (Ships Passenger Lists)
http://olivetreegenealogy.com/

* Naturalization Records
http://naturalizationrecords.com/

* USA Genealogy
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ote/usa_genealogy/

or

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