1 Reply Latest reply on Jul 11, 2018 10:13 AM by Alex Champion

    Do records exist of those who gave up citizenship?

    Jill Moore Newbie
    Jill Moore Jul 6, 2018 8:38 PM

      I have a great aunt who went to Paris in 1950 and just disappeared from our family after 1972.  On the passenger list in 1950, she says she's staying in France permanently.  She was born in 1928 so I would imagine she's passed away by now.  She was married later in France to an Algerian man who she later divorced.  If she gave up her American citizenship, would there be a record for that in NARA somewhere?  We didn't know if she'd had to do that at American Embassy or what that process would entail in 1950-1972 and if there was paperwork involved that we might be able to locate.

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        • Re: Do records exist of those who gave up citizenship?
          Alex Champion Adventurer
          Alex Champion Expert Jul 11, 2018 10:13 AM (in response to Jill Moore)

          Hello Ms. Moore,

           

          At the National Archives we have records of citizenship renunciation but only until 1946. They are in Record Group 85, Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. A guide for these records is here.

           

          Records after 1946 are still in the custody of the U.S. State Department. The only route you can take is to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for citizenship case files. The State Department has this guide to help you compose such a request.

           

          Thank you for submitting your question to the History Hub! Best of luck in your endeavor.

           

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