applications for naturalization, which number to use

Shirley McLendon1

When there are 2 numbers associated with a name which one do I use, the alien registration number that starts with a letter or the certificate number?

I am reviewing this record and the previous person marked all of the pages as no extractable data so I am doing it.

Thank you, Shirley

Melissa S Himes

It is always good to see the shared batch to give an accurate answer. This is the series of letters and numbers in brackets after the project title.

Usually you would not index the alien registration number. If it is an oath of allegiance, check the project instruction example and see if they index any number.

Or, share your batch for a better answer.

Suzanne O Halliday

We do need the batch number and project name in order to give you the correct number. The field helps and project instructions are often different for the different naturalization projects. The field help for the record number on US, Kansas—Naturalization Records, 1856–1991 [Part B] says to use only the certificate or the record number.

Melissa S Himes

The other interesting thing about the Kansas project is that the field help says to never index the petition number. Very unusual.

Susan Ann Mullen

Thank you for indexing these records! Since you are indexing them it will get them to the researcher faster than if they were sent back into the indexing pool!