I’m starting a 1948 case and I currently need a variety of certificates from ancestors. I don’t know if this will make it easier but all of them lived in New York.
I need two certificates of naturalization, four marriage certificates, and three birth certificates.
I looked at the USCIS web site and it’ll cost $65 per record just to check if it’s even there. I have a 14 day trial account with ancestry hoping to find license numbers but I’m not having any luck.
What’s the best way to go about this without spending a fortune?
Best way to acquire certificates from New York?
Re: Best way to acquire certificates from New York?
Did your ancestors live in NY state or NY City? If the city, marriage and birth certificates can be obtained online (google search). You will also need to have marriage, death and birth documents exemplified and notarized before obtaining the apostille. This can be done by mail, but if you live in NYC, a trip to lower Manhattan will allow you to complete the process in a day with a short walk from the records building to the courthouse, to the state offices for apostille.
Ancestry is helpful, but sometimes records don’t show up. I found naturalization information for my gf on that site but then, on subsequent visits, could find nothing. Look for census records as well, as they may provide information about naturalization.
Again, if you visit the city, a walk up to Varick Street will take you to the NARA office where you can do some research. If you locate naturalization documents (declaration, petition, oath) they will print them out and notarize them on the spot. You will likely then have to obtain the actual certificate from USCIS. By the way, NARA will also have pertinent census records.
If you cannot locate naturalization records, you will have to do the USCIS search, and you will also have to search county records in case your ancestor naturalized at the county level.
All of this can be done by mail as well, but it will be more time consuming. It shouldn’t cost you a fortune, but the costs do add up. Once you obtain all the documents, be prepared for additional costs (translator, application fees, document amendments etc.).
Ancestry is helpful, but sometimes records don’t show up. I found naturalization information for my gf on that site but then, on subsequent visits, could find nothing. Look for census records as well, as they may provide information about naturalization.
Again, if you visit the city, a walk up to Varick Street will take you to the NARA office where you can do some research. If you locate naturalization documents (declaration, petition, oath) they will print them out and notarize them on the spot. You will likely then have to obtain the actual certificate from USCIS. By the way, NARA will also have pertinent census records.
If you cannot locate naturalization records, you will have to do the USCIS search, and you will also have to search county records in case your ancestor naturalized at the county level.
All of this can be done by mail as well, but it will be more time consuming. It shouldn’t cost you a fortune, but the costs do add up. Once you obtain all the documents, be prepared for additional costs (translator, application fees, document amendments etc.).
Re: Best way to acquire certificates from New York?
I believe it’s a combination of NY state and NY City because some were born on Long Island outside city limits. I guess that makes this harder.
Unfortunately my family has largely migrated out of New York over the last thirty years so I don’t really know anyone who could get the docs in person without a plane ticket, which is a real shame.
This might be kind of out there but would it be a better idea to find and pay someone to do what you described for me than go through the mail option? Assuming that’d be allowed, that is.
Unfortunately my family has largely migrated out of New York over the last thirty years so I don’t really know anyone who could get the docs in person without a plane ticket, which is a real shame.
This might be kind of out there but would it be a better idea to find and pay someone to do what you described for me than go through the mail option? Assuming that’d be allowed, that is.
Re: Best way to acquire certificates from New York?
Anyone you hire would probably be doing it by mail as well.
It’s not that difficult. Although most of my documents were from NYC, I used the USPS to obtain documents from Maryland, Connecticut and Texas.
It’s not that difficult. Although most of my documents were from NYC, I used the USPS to obtain documents from Maryland, Connecticut and Texas.
