Why Apply for Dual Citizenship?
Whether it is for a deeper cultural connection, easier access to education, travel, living abroad, or reclaiming something that was lost to your family – the pursuit of dual citizenship can be a very personal journey for each individual that undergoes this process.
No matter the reason, applying for a foreign passport through a genealogical connection can feel like a monumental task. This is why it is important to take each step of the process deliberately and intentionally as you work out your connection to your ancestor and identify what documents are needed to substantiate your application.
Let’s take a look at the genealogical part of applying for dual citizenship and why hiring a genealogist may be a vital step in this process — keeping in mind that you'll also want work with your consulate and/or an immigration lawyer as part of the process.
Getting Started with Dual Citizenship Applications
The first step in your application is identifying your ancestor’s country of origin and its laws regarding dual citizenship. Some countries limit the process to a parent’s or grandparent’s generation, while other countries may demand a paper trail to your original ancestor a bit with further back with that citizenship. Since each country’s procedure is different, it is important to speak with an immigration lawyer who is adept and knowledgeable with dual citizenship and can help guide you throughout the process.
Do I need to learn the language? Do I need to take any test? When do I need to apostille my documents? Do I need to translate my birth certificate from English to the country’s language? What documents do I need to provide for my ancestor(s)? How long does the process generally take?
All of these questions can be answered by a lawyer who has experience handling these cases. Working with a legal team may help to facilitate an easier application process and provide an ease of mind that each step has been successfully completed.
If you need help extending your ancestral lines in order for your lawyer to determine your eligibility, or if you need help collecting genealogical details and/or documents after eligibility has been determined, a professional genealogist can step in to help.
Locating the Right Records and Documents for Dual Citizenship Application
Depending on what the country requires, this process may be simple or complex; therefore, knowing the laws and requirements will be instrumental in compiling the necessary documents in a successful application. So how can you get started on learning more information? Below are some genealogical resources researchers use to pinpoint countries of origin, years of immigration and naturalization, and ultimately birth, marriage, or death records related to that specific ancestor.
Census Records for Dual Citizenship Applications
1940 Census Taker, image courtesy of the United States Census Bureau
If your ancestor lived in the United States, the use of U.S. federal census records can be helpful in learning when they arrived in the United States. Typically, census takers were instructed to include a person’s place of origin, and some census records (1900-1930) included when a person arrived and whether or not they had applied for U.S. citizenship, using codes such as “Al” (alien – foreign national/non-U.S. citizen), “Pa” (first papers – in the process of applying), or “Na” (naturalized – already a U.S. citizen).[1] Knowing these statuses are important to understanding your eligibility for another citizenship.
“Details of immigration dates and naturalization statuses from five decades of the federal census”, image courtesy of the National Archives
Passenger Manifests for Dual Citizenship Applications
Ellis Island, New York, image courtesy of Library of Congress
Passenger manifests are typically full of genealogical gold when it comes to learning where your ancestor was from, as these are usually the earliest records related to their origins. Depending on the creation of the passenger manifest, it may include information related to where they were headed (name and address), the name of someone in the “old country” (name, relation, address), whether they traveled alone, and most importantly, their place of origin. Locating a passenger manifest can be tricky business if your ancestor changed their name once they naturalized, therefore having more pieces of the puzzle such as naturalization records can be helpful for documenting their arrival.
Passenger Manifest of the SS Themistocles, image courtesy of Ancestry
Naturalization Records for Dual Citizenship Applications
Maria von Trapp’s Declaration of Intention, image courtesy of the National Archives
If your ancestor naturalized, these are documents of great importance in your research. These documents may include a certificate of arrival, a declaration of intention, and a petition for naturalization including information regarding their arrival (when, where, how they arrived), if they were married, if they had children, and other important details such as dates for these events, and any notes of a name change between arrival and naturalization. Naturalizations may provide important clues to original spellings or variations that should be kept in mind when searching for your ancestor in their country of origin.
A-File (Alien File) Records for Dual Citizenship Applications
A-File of Jesús García Pérez, image courtesy of the National Archives
If your ancestor had an A-File, this may also be an important genealogical document to obtain as you learn about their origins. The files were originally created by the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) beginning in April 1944. They contain “all records of any active case of an alien not yet naturalized as they passed through the United States immigration and inspection process… A rich source of biographical information, A-Files may include visas, photographs, affidavits, and correspondence leading up to an alien's naturalization, permanent residency, death, or deportation.” [2]
Locating your ancestor’s A-File will require knowing when they immigrated, naturalized, or continued to hold the status of “alien” while in the United States. Inquiring with the National Archives or the USCIS Genealogy Program may help to better understand who holds these documents and how to obtain them.
Civil or Religious Records For Dual Citizenship Applications
Once you have identified your ancestor's place of origin, you will need to request records related to their birth and possible marriage before they left the country. This type of research varies in different countries, as you may need to reach out to local civil registries, religious entities, or other repositories held at regional levels to help identify these documents.
What if I don’t speak the language? What if I don’t know anyone in the country? I am not sure how to make the request, who can help me?
This is another area where the services of a professional genealogist such as Legacy Tree Genealogists are be helpful! Let our research experts help you research your ancestor’s origins and request the necessary records for your dual citizenship application.
How a Professional Genealogist Can Help With Dual Citizenship Documents
Hiring a professional genealogist comes with a lot of perks when applying for dual citizenship. Whether it is identifying birth, marriage and death dates and places in order to learn where to begin looking for documents, or locating your ancestor's passenger manifest, naturalization or A-File, or contacting local officials to request documents – a researcher can help you with each of these steps.
Wondering what our skill sets include? Below are some key takeaways of what a genealogical researcher can help you achieve.
- Expert use of record sets all over the world
- Historical, cultural, and linguistic knowledge that helps to locate your ancestor
- Work with onsite researchers worldwide to acquire documents
Having the support of a professional genealogist can help to ease the stress of locating records your immigration lawyer has determined you need for your application. We can help to navigate genealogical roadblocks as well as work our many onsite researchers around the world to make a formal request for a record. It is important to keep in mind that on occasion, conditions within the country may delay a search; however, working with onsite researchers helps identify these situations in real time, understand what challenges they may pose, and create a plan for how to overcome them.
If you'd like to work with Legacy Tree Genealogists to obtain dual citizenship, please reach out any time!
Citations
[1] “Clues in Census Records, 1850-1950,” National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/research/census/1850-1950: accessed 16 July 2025).
[2] “Alien Files (A-Files),” National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens: accessed 17 July 2025).
Resources:
“Standout Census Stories: An Archivist Untangles Immigration Records Using Leads from the Census,” National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/news/articles/standout-census-3#:~:text: accessed 17 July 2025).
“The A-Files,” National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2013/spring/a-files: accessed 17 July 2025).
“Movie vs. Reality: The Real Story of the Von Trapp Family,” National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/winter/von-trapps-html: accessed 17 July 2025).
“Naturalization Records,” National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/naturalization: accessed 17 July 2025).
“Passenger Lists: A Gateway to Foreign Lands and a Former Life,” LegacyTree Genealogists (https://www.legacytree.com/blog/passenger-lists-a-gateway-to-foreign-lands-and-a-former-life: accessed 17 July 2025).
“Onsite Research Around the World: What to Expect,” LegacyTree Genealogists (https://www.legacytree.com/blog/onsite-research-around-world-expect: accessed 17 July 2025).
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