Alien Registration Card and Court County

Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
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musaccosteve
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Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by musaccosteve »

Moderators and Forum Members,

I have previously sent requests for a naturalization search on my grandfather to the national USCIS office as well as NARA in Riverside county. For local courts (i.e, court county in which he resided), who do I contact to obtain information "no records found." I live in San Diego, CA.

The L.A. consulate requests that, as noted on her website, if no record is found, you have to show his Italian passport and Alien Registration Card. How would I be able to obtain a copy of his Italian passport when they did not have copying machines when he was alive? Will the court county be able to provide me with a copy of his Alien Registration Card? If not, could NARA in Riverside retrieve this document for me.

Thank you for your help.

Steve
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by bmilazzo »

When did you grandfather immigrate? Where did he arrive? Where did he live from time of immigration until his death?
Did he ever naturalize?
Alien and draft registrations cards are unreliable. I had both for my grandfather (I think they were his) but addresses and birth dates were wrong.
The Consulate did not require either for my application.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

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My grandfather arrived in the U.S. in 1906 and went to San Diego, CA. There are no records from NARA to indicate that he ever naturalized. I do have a copy of his W1 Draft registration Card for 1918, which records him as an Alien. In addition, I have a certified 1930 Census record that shows he is an Alien. He died in 1935. His wife, my grandmother, naturalized three years after his death in 1938.

I don't understand why the L.A. consulate is requiring this information, but I will do my best to comply. However, I still need to know how to obtain it.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

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Very similar to my GF and GM. GF killed in 32, GM naturalized two years later.
I wish I could explain to you why the consulates are so different but I can't. There seems to be no logical answer.
Tell them there is no way to produce a copy of his pp since no copying machines existed. you need a "no record" form NARA and US immigration.

Beyond that I would keep asking and hope you get a different person.

Have you been here: https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline

Whenever it was possible I tried to locate a real person at NARA, other government offices. It made a big difference in getting things done.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by musaccosteve »

bmilazzo,

Did you have to get a letter from the County Court as part of your documentation for your Consulate? If so, did you go to the Superior Court office in your county? How did you get a copy of your grandfather's Alien Registration Card?

Thank you,

Steve

bmilazzo wrote:Very similar to my GF and GM. GF killed in 32, GM naturalized two years later.
I wish I could explain to you why the consulates are so different but I can't. There seems to be no logical answer.
Tell them there is no way to produce a copy of his pp since no copying machines existed. you need a "no record" form NARA and US immigration.

Beyond that I would keep asking and hope you get a different person.

Have you been here:

Whenever it was possible I tried to locate a real person at NARA, other government offices. It made a big difference in getting things done.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by Rodio »

Steve--

Assuming your GM naturalized in SD, if you have her petition of naturalization, try contacting the court listed on the petition to see if that court can produce a 'no record'letter for you.

Buona fortuna.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

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Steve - PM sent to you
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by musaccosteve »

Hi Rodio,

My GM did naturalize in San Diego County Superior Court. I just now looked at the website for subject court, and they have a "central records" department. I will go down in person Monday to see what I can find out. On her website, my consulate is not requesting a "no record" finding from the court with regard to my GF, but is requesting that, "if he never naturalized, you have to show his Italian passport and his Alien Registration Card."

I would like to note to you and others that are reading this thread, I did make a phone and email request to my NARA regional office contact to see if they can find and send me a copy of my grandfather's Alien Registration Card. Any other ideas on how to access this document would be very much appreciated.

Thank you,
Steve
Rodio wrote:Steve--

Assuming your GM naturalized in SD, if you have her petition of naturalization, try contacting the court listed on the petition to see if that court can produce a 'no record'letter for you.

Buona fortuna.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by musaccosteve »

bmilazzo .. Did you get my pm return? I am not sure how this feature works in this forum. The message I sent you shows up in the outbox, but not in the sentbox. Is this typical for PMs sent in this forum? Confused...
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

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yes
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

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Okay. Thanks.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by Rodio »

Steve--

If you can get some kind of letter stating there is no record from the SD court, get it. From what I've seen on this matter, try to have as much supporting evidence to show your GF did not naturalize.

As for the alien registration card, check out :
http://genealogy.about.com/od/immigrati ... _cards.htm

NARA may have your GF's WWI alien registration info.

Buona fortuna.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

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Thank you, Rodio.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by musaccosteve »

After going to the website you provided, maybe there was no such item as an Alien Registration Card, but instead only a card labeled Registration Card, which was required for non-citizen residents during W1 and W2. For example, it is stated on the website:

Time Period:
1917-1918 and 1940-1944
What are Alien Registration Records?:
Aliens (non-citizen residents) living in the United States were asked during two different historical periods to register with the U.S. Government.

World War I Alien Registration Records
Following the beginning of United States involvement in World War I, all resident aliens who had not been naturalized, were required, as a security measure, to register with the U.S. Marshal nearest their place of residence. A failure to register risked interment or possible deportation. This registration occurred between November 1917 and April 1918.

WWII Alien Registration Records, 1940-1944
The Alien Registration Act of 1940 (also known as the Smith Act) required the fingerprinting and registration of any alien age 14 and older living within or entering the United States. These records were completed from August 1, 1940 to March 31, 1944 and document over 5 million non-citizen residents of the United States during this period.

Accordingly, what my consulate is referring to as an Alien Registration Card on her website, as it applies to my grandfather, may be his Registration Card for W1, which records him as an alien. Your thoughts.....

Thank you,
Steve
Rodio wrote:Steve--

If you can get some kind of letter stating there is no record from the SD court, get it. From what I've seen on this matter, try to have as much supporting evidence to show your GF did not naturalize.

As for the alien registration card, check out :
http://genealogy.about.com/od/immigrati ... _cards.htm

NARA may have your GF's WWI alien registration info.

Buona fortuna.
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Re: Alien Registration Card and Court County

Post by Rodio »

Exactly what I was thinking-get his WWI registration card.

As far as the passport, I know many people do not have passports of their GPs or older generations. (I didn't have my GGF's, but my GGF did naturalize.) My experience with LA was that what was listed as requirements were not enforced EXACTLY as written on their website when I applied in '09. I would go to your appointment with as much as you can gather and wait for the consulate to tell you otherwise.
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