I am applying for dual citizenship and need a certified copy of my ancestor's naturalization petition. How do I go about that?
For a certified copy of a Naturalization record, fill out the Individual Request form, and send it to us with a check or money order for $15 made out to the Westchester County Archives. Also include a separate check for $5 (to cover the certification fee) made out to the Westchester County Clerk. We will forward the copies to the Clerk's office with the certification fee. Generally, you should receive your certified copy within 2 weeks.
How can I get proof that my ancestor never became a citizen?
We cannot provide definitive proof that someone did not become a citizen, but we can send a letter stating that we searched our indexes and did not find any records in the individual's name in Westchester County. The first step is to check our online Naturalizations index. If you do not see your ancestor's name, we can search our index books (which are not online) to verify that there are no records in that person's name in Westchester County.
To request a search, please fill out and send us the Custom Research Request form. The fee for this research is $25. If we do not find any records, we will send you a letter saying so.
Please note, however, that many individuals applied for citizenship in New York City, even though they were Westchester County residents. Not finding records in Westchester does not necessarily mean they did not apply for citizenship at all. Naturalization records for New York City are held at the Northeast Regional branch of the National Archives, (212) 401-1620 or 1-800-840-1752.