Immigration and Naturalization
IMPORTANT: These files are for personal use only! The use of the information on this site for commercial, political, or any other purpose other than research of your family history and genealogy is strictly forbidden.
Please contact, and credit, the CGC prior to using any part of this collection by sending an email to secretary@cubangenclub.org.
Using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
PLEASE NOTE: The form/procedure has been changed since 2020. Please use this presentation as a general guide.
Video presentation by Sonia Jones – See Members-Only Videos – Sept. 12, 2020 Meeting – PREMIUM CONTENT
See below NARA’s presentations on Alien/Alien Registration Files and Passport Applications Files
USCIS Genealogy Program
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
The USCIS Genealogy Program is a fee-for-service program that provides researchers with access to historical immigration
and naturalization records of deceased immigrants.
US National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
What is it?
The principal archival institution of the United States government, charged with the long-term preservation of historical documents,
presidential records, and other records of enduring significance.
What do they do?
Facilitate scholarly, legal, and genealogical research by providing public access to these materials, while also maintaining
and curating the system of Presidential Libraries.
National Archives Genealogy Fairs & Series
Every year, the National Archives hosts a free, educational genealogy event broadcast live on YouTube. The sessions offer family history research tools on federal records for all skill levels. You can ttend free of charge with no reservations requested.
Presentations of Interest to Family Historians
2024 Genealogy Series
Alien Files (A-Files): Researching Immigrant Ancestors at the National Archives
Elizabeth Burnes is a Subject Matter Expert for Immigrant Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at Kansas City.
Learn about the Alien Files (A-Files), a rich source of biographical information for family research. The A-Files contain United States immigrant documents generated and collected since the mid-20th century with a wealth of data, including visas, photographs, applications, correspondence, and more. Participants in this session will understand who should have an A-File, discover online search methods to determine whether records are available at the National Archives, and gain the skills to successfully place a request.
2025 Genealogy Series
Researching Immigrant Ancestors: Alien Registration (AR-2) Forms
Elizabeth Burnes is a Subject Matter Expert for Immigrant Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at Kansas City.
John LeGloahec is an archivist in the Electronic Records Reference Branch at the National Archives at College Park, MD.
Alien Registration (AR-2) Forms were utilized from 1940 to 1944 in response to the 1940 Alien Registration Act, which required all immigrants aged 14 and up to register their noncitizen status with the federal government and be assigned an Alien Registration Number (A-Number). Participants in this session will learn who should have an AR-2, discover online search methods to determine whether records are available at the National Archives, and gain the skills to successfully place a request.
2024 Genealogy Series
Passport Records: Passport Applications at NARA, 1790s–1925
Claire Kluskens is a Subject Matter Expert for Genealogy and Census Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives
in Washington, DC.
Passports are documents that prove a person’s identity and citizenship and have been required for most foreign travel since 1941. This lecture will discuss the genealogical value of U.S. passport applications and related records, 1795–1925, that are held by the National Archives and Records Administration, and will focus on records that are available online.
2025 Genealogy Series
Disaster Preparedness and Response for Family Collections
Sara Holmes is a conservator in the St. Louis Preservation and Conservation Branch at the National Archives at St. Louis.
Sara Leonowitz is a conservator technician in the Conservation Branch at the National Archives in Washington, DC.
Fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes are scary scenarios for those who treasure and maintain their family history. Learn what you can do ahead of time to plan for emergencies and minimize risk to your family heirlooms as well as what to expect to do after a disaster to salvage damaged items.
German – WWII – 2024 Genealogy Series
Captured German Records Related to American Prisoners of War During World War II
Rachael Salyer is a Subject Matter Expert in Modern Military Records and an archivist at the National Archives at College Park, MD.
The majority of Captured German Records in the National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized (Record Group 242) are microfilmed copies of original German records that have been returned to Germany. However, this record group also includes original records that relate to Allied airmen and American prisoners of war (POWs) during World War II. This presentation will include an overview of these records, most of which are in German, and offer guidance on how to access and search the records effectively, even if you do not read German. The presentation will also provide historical background and related resources.
Japanese Americans – WWII – 2024 Genealogy Series
World War II Enemy Alien Records Related to Japanese Americans at the National Archives
David Castillo is an archives specialist at the National Archives
at College Park, MD.
Ruth Chan is a Subject Matter Expert for Asian American
and Pacific Islander Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at San Francisco.
Katharine Seitz is an archives specialist at the National Archives in Washington, DC.
Unlike the more familiar experiences of Japanese Americans incarcerated by the War Relocation Authority (WRA), many researchers may not be aware of a separate group of people investigated and detained under the Enemy Alien Control Program. This session will guide researchers through the types of records available, offer strategies for navigating our holdings, and share stories from these records that are stored across
three National Archives offices.