Question about alien registration card for consulate?

[giannattasio]

On the LA consulates website they state they want the Italian passport and alien registration card if there was no record of naturalization. I've got my no record from USCIS, NARA and the NY County Court. I've searched Ancestry and come up with nothing for the passport and alien reg card. I don't have a clue how I'm supposed to get these documents if they exist. Anyone know anything about this?

[VaDeb]

Alien registration card comes from USCIS.

Debbie

[giannattasio]

Thanks Debbie. My grandfather died before the alien registration card was required in 1940 so he obviously didn't have one. He immigrated in 1901 when he was a minor. Did minors need Italian passports?

[johnnyonthespot]

There was also a period of Alien Registration in 1917-1918, however the majority of those records have been destroyed. http://genealogy.about.com/b/2009/04/14 ... ecords.htm

I believe minors travelled on their parent's Italian passport, just as they may do today.

[Mulé]

My grandfather died before the alien registration card was required in 1940 so he obviously didn't have one. He immigrated in 1901 when he was a minor.

Same situation here for my application in Boston. My m-ggF died in 1932, but his spouse lived on. So I was TASKED to get HER alien registration card as it MIGHT show his status on her application. I ordered it, but haven't received it yet from USCIS genealogy department. I had her Alien Registration Number, so hope that speeds things up.

I hope after it arrives, it will complete my exhaustive documentation that my m-ggF never naturalized. I have more proofs than most from USCIS letters (2 distinctly/uniquely worded documents), local courts, district courts, federal court, 1920 and 1930 census, WWI draft card, NARA no records, etc...

I am running out of ways to prove he never naturalized. I might look into getting one of those posthumously awarded citizenship certificates, so I can then just show the consulate that my m-ggF just recently naturalized, even though he has been dead for almost 80 years - lol.

[giannattasio]

Exhaustive doesn't quite describe it. You were much better off if the ancestor naturalized. My grandfather married an Italian American citizen so his wife won't have a card. He was also fond of saying he was born in New York which it says on his draft reg and the 1920 census, not helpful. I've got all my documents except for this requirement but I don't see there is much I can do about it. I guess I'll have to waste more time and money for another USCIS index search for another no record. Your posthumously awarded citizenship is brilliant!

[johnnyonthespot]

Exhaustive doesn't quite describe it. You were much better off if the ancestor naturalized. My grandfather married an Italian American citizen so his wife won't have a card. He was also fond of saying he was born in New York which it says on his draft reg and the 1920 census, not helpful. I've got all my documents except for this requirement but I don't see there is much I can do about it. I guess I'll have to waste more time and money for another USCIS index search for another no record. Your posthumously awarded citizenship is brilliant!

Umm, maybe he was born in New York and your research has led you astray at some point.

It's been known to happen.

[DeFilippis78]

That is true. I personally have a great Aunt who went back and forth through life saying she was born in Italy and then in New Jersey. After further investigation though I found out she was born in Italy. I have no idea why she always changed her mind on what she put in her paperwork.

Alicia

[giannattasio]

I seriously doubt it since I have his Italian birth record, the Italian marriage and birth certificates of his parents, grandparents and siblings, plus the ship manifest of the whole family immigrating together.
He didn't tell the family he was from NY it is only on the census and draft reg.

[Mulé]

Tell me about it. Why my m-ggM went by Oretta (her given name) or by Laura here in the US depending on the document makes my head spin. Is Laura really the angelical version of Oretta? I don't think so. She did the same with her mother's name as well, Irene, but she used Mary for various US documents. I mean really, pick a name and stick to it... lol