Document guide
Form G-1041A.
The key to naturalisation records.
If your ancestor became American after 1906, USCIS holds the records. Form G-1041A is how you get them. That certificate contains the exact date — the data that determines whether the chain is intact.
Updated: April 2026
What the certificate reveals
Exact naturalisation date
AFTER the child’s birth = chain intact. BEFORE = broken. One day changes everything.
Birthplace in Italy
Almost always the comune. If you don’t know where they were from, this tells you.
Date of arrival in the US
For finding ship manifests.
Full name
Often shows both Italian and American versions.
Marital status and spouse
Reconstructs the family chain.
How to request
Download G-1041A
From uscis.gov. Search “Genealogy Program.”
Fill it out
Name, approximate dates, genealogical reason. Don’t need everything.
Payment
$65. Check or money order to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
Mail it
Address on the form. With tracking. No online option.
Wait 2–4 months
If found, certified copies. If not, notification with no refund.
Before or after 1906?
After 1906
USCIS. Form G-1041A. $65, 2–4 months.
Before 1906
NARA (archives.gov). Also on Ancestry and FamilySearch.
Don’t know when? Try Ancestry/FamilySearch at the library (free). An index tells you whether to request G-1041A or search NARA.
Common questions
How much?
$65. Check or money order to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
How long?
2–4 months. Longer if records are in remote archives.
Before 1906?
Pre-1906 records at NARA (archives.gov), not USCIS.
Exact date shown?
Yes. The date determines whether the chain is intact.
Is Ancestry enough?
No. Indexes, not certified originals. Consulate wants USCIS documents.
Sources
- USCIS Genealogy Program — uscis.gov
- NARA — archives.gov
- Naturalisation Act of 1906
Informational guide. Not legal advice.