(a) Purpose. The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Genealogy Program is a fee-for-service program designed to provide genealogical and historical records and reference services to genealogists, historians, and others seeking documents maintained within the historical record systems.

(b) Scope and limitations. Sections 103.38 through 103.41 comprise the regulations of the Genealogy Program. These regulations apply only to searches for and retrieval of records from the file series described as historical records in 8 CFR 103.39. These regulations set forth the procedures by which individuals may request searches for historical records and, if responsive records are located, obtain copies of those records.

[73 FR 28030, May 15, 2008]

Historical Records are files, forms, and documents now located within the following records series:

(a) Naturalization Certificate Files (C-Files), from September 27, 1906 to April 1, 1956. Copies of records relating to all U.S. naturalizations in Federal, State, county, or municipal courts, overseas military naturalizations, replacement of old law naturalization certificates, and the issuance of Certificates of Citizenship in derivative, repatriation, and resumption cases. The majority of C-Files exist only on microfilm. Standard C-Files generally contain at least one application form (Declaration of Intention and/or Petition for Naturalization, or other application) and a duplicate certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship. Many files contain additional documents, including correspondence, affidavits, or other records. Only C-Files dating from 1929 onward include photographs.

(b) Microfilmed Alien Registration Forms, from August 1, 1940 to March 31, 1944. Microfilmed copies of 5.5 million Alien Registration Forms (Form AR-2) completed by all aliens age 14 and older, residing in or entering the United States between August 1, 1940 and March 31, 1944. The two-page form called for the following information: Name; name at arrival; other names used; street address; post-office address; date of birth; place of birth; citizenship; sex; marital status; race; height; weight; hair and eye color; date, place, vessel, and class of admission of last arrival in United States; date of first arrival in United States; number of years in United States; usual occupation; present occupation; name, address, and business of present employer; membership in clubs, organizations, or societies; dates and nature of military or naval service; whether citizenship papers filed, and if so date, place, and court for declaration or petition; number of relatives living in the United States; arrest record, including date, place, and disposition of each arrest; whether or not affiliated with a foreign government; signature; and fingerprint.

(c) Visa Files, from July 1, 1924 to March 31, 1944. Original arrival records of immigrants admitted for permanent residence under provisions of the Immigration Act of 1924. Visa forms contain all information normally found on a ship passenger list of the period, as well as the immigrant's places of residence for 5 years prior to emigration, names of both the immigrant's parents, and other data. In most cases, birth records or affidavits are attached to the visa, and in some cases, marriage, military, or police records may also be attached to the visa.

(d) Registry Files, from March 2, 1929 to March 31, 1944. Original records documenting the creation of immigrant arrival records for persons who entered the United States prior to July 1, 1924, and for whom no arrival record could later be found. Most files also include documents supporting the immigrant's claims regarding arrival and residence (e.g., proofs of residence, receipts, and employment records).

(e) Alien-Files numbered below 8 million (A8000000), and documents therein dated prior to May 1, 1951. Individual alien case files (A-files) became the official file for all immigration records created or consolidated after April 1, 1944. The United States issued A-numbers ranging up to approximately 6 million to aliens and immigrants who were within or entered the United States between 1940 and 1945. The United States entered the 6 million and 7 million series of A-numbers between circa 1944 and May 1, 1951. Any documents dated after May 1, 1951, though found in an A-File numbered below 8 million, will remain subject to FOIA/PA restrictions.

[73 FR 28030, May 15, 2008]

(a) Nature of requests. Genealogy requests are requests for searches and/or copies of historical records relating to a deceased person, usually for genealogy and family history research purposes.

(b) Forms. USCIS provides on its website at https://www.uscis.gov/records/genealogy the required forms in electronic versions: Genealogy Index Search Request or Genealogy Records Request.

(c) Required information. Genealogical research requests may be submitted to request one or more separate records relating to an individual. A separate request must be submitted for everyone searched. All requests for records or index searches must include the individual's:

(1) Full name (including variant spellings of the name and/or aliases, if any).

(2) Date of birth, at least as specific as a year.

(3) Place of birth, at least as specific as a country and the country name at the time of the individual's immigration or naturalization if known.

(d) Optional information. To better ensure a successful search, a genealogical research request may include everyone's:

(1) Date of arrival in the United States.

(2) Residence address at time of naturalization.

(3) Names of parents, spouse, and children if applicable and available.

(e) Additional information required to retrieve records. For a Genealogy Records Request, requests for copies of historical records or files must identify the record by number or other specific data used by the Genealogy Program Office to retrieve the record as follows:

(1) C-Files must be identified by a naturalization certificate number.

(2) Forms AR-2 and A-Files numbered below 8 million must be identified by Alien Registration Number.

(3) Visa Files must be identified by the Visa File Number. Registry Files must be identified by the Registry File Number (for example, R-12345).

(f) Information required for release of records. (1) Documentary evidence must be attached to a Genealogy Records Request or submitted in accordance with the instructions on the Genealogy Records Request form.

(2) Search subjects will be presumed deceased if their birth dates are more than 100 years before the date of the request. In other cases, the subject is presumed to be living until the requestor establishes to the satisfaction of USCIS that the subject is deceased.

(3) Documentary evidence of the subject's death is required (including but not limited to death records, published obituaries or eulogies, published death notices, church or bible records, photographs of gravestones, and/or copies of official documents relating to payment of death benefits).

(g) Index search. Requestors who are unsure whether USCIS has any record of their ancestor, or who suspect a record exists but cannot identify that record by number, may submit a request for index search. An index search will determine the existence of responsive historical records. If no record is found, USCIS will notify the requestor accordingly. If records are found, USCIS will give the requestor electronic copies of records stored in digital format for no additional fee. For records found that are stored in paper format, USCIS will give the requestor the search results, including the type of record found and the file number or other information identifying the record. The requestor can use index search results to submit a Genealogy Records Request.

(h) Processing of paper record copy requests. This service is designed for requestors who can identify a specific record or file to be retrieved, copied, reviewed, and released. Requestors may identify one or more files in a single request.

[85 FR 46915, Aug. 3, 2020, as amended at 89 FR 6385, Jan. 31, 2024]

Immigration-related regulations relating to FOIA and the Privacy Act are located in 6 CFR part 5.

[76 FR 53782, Aug. 29, 2011]