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Genealogical Society of Marion County, IndianaImmigration vs Emigration
Immigration is entering a country where you are not a native to take up permanent residence. Emigration is leaving a country where you have been residing and where you may or may not have been a citizen.
Where are naturalizations
Early naturalizations were usually at County Courts. Since about 1920, they have been in the Federal court system. The National Archives (NARA) and ICE/INS also hold some naturalization records.
immigrant ancestor
Your immigrant ancestor is the first person of an ancestral line to settle in a given country.
manifest
Look at the manifest list for others from the same area where your ancestors come from.
Declaration of Intention
A Declaration of Intention is a document an alien usually filed in a court declaring his intention to apply for citizenship after fulfillment of the residency requirement.
Collective naturalization
Collective naturalization is a process used when a government acquires the territory of a foreign government by treaty or cession, and the inhabitants receive the rights and privileges of citizenship.
Petition for Citizenship
Final papers are the Petition for Citizenship with supporting affidavits filed by an alien in court.
Message Boards
Search the Message Boards for others looking for the same person(s) you're researching. You go to the Board to search but you can ask to be notified of new entries.
Public record keeping
Public record keeping was very unorganized in previous generations.
Witness / Bondsman
Look carefully at marriage records. The witnesses and bondsmen may be related to either party.