Naturalization status of my great-grandfather -- trying to determine if it's viable for us to apply or Italian citizensh

[curt_k]

Hello!

I *think* my family and I might be eligible for Italian citizenship by descent, but before spending too much time on something that may be a deadend I'm trying to figure out if this really seems viable.

Basically, I'm trying to see if my great-grandfather, born in Sicily, naturalized as a US citizen before my grandfather was born.

The NARA archivist was very helpful and found no record that my great-grandfather naturalized, but they can't provide a certified letter stating that. I have submitted an application for a search to USCIS but that seems like it can take a year or more to get response.

Does anyone know other ways to get a sense of pursuing this project besides waiting for USCIS to respond?

By the way, here is some of the relevant information I have about my great-grandfather:

Domenico/Dominick Romano
Birth: Sep 1 1872 - Altavilla Milicia, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Kingdom of Italy
Death: Oct 7 1950 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States
Parents: Liborio Romano and Rosaria Damiano
Siblings: Isabella Elisabetta, Antonino and Caterina
Wife: Margherite or Margaret or “Dona Margherite” Damiano
Children: Frederick, Liborio Leo, Rosaria Rose, Celia, Anthony, Angelo

Main address: 1125 N Cambridge, Chicago

Married Oct 9 1898, in Altavilla Milicia, Italy

Arrived in US in New York on a ship from Naples, May 1, 1899, bound for Chicago to join his father

[suanj]

surely no naturalized in Cook County IL, here the persons naturalized having same name:
ROMANO , DOMENICK 11/8/1889 CAMPOVALANO ITALY LABORER
Romano , Domenico 5/26/1879 ATTAVILLA MILICIA ITALY LABORER
romano , domenico 5/20/1891 ALTAVILLO MILUCIA ITALY LABORER

[alohahms]

I am in same situation as Curt_K. Cannot find any information about my grandparents naturalizing and NARA could not find. I did submit a request via USCIS for Naturalization document request but it takes a while to get back (9-12months). In the meantime I requested a CONE (that confirms they were not naturalized), a different document from USCIS, which only takes about 30 days. If they were naturalized then I should get that information when they get back with me in 30 days about my CONE. Then I will just have to wait until the other USCIS document comes back in 9-12 months. If they have a CONE then that is all I need to submit with my application for dual citizenship.

[curt_k]

surely no naturalized in Cook County IL, here the persons naturalized having same name:
ROMANO , DOMENICK 11/8/1889 CAMPOVALANO ITALY LABORER
Romano , Domenico 5/26/1879 ATTAVILLA MILICIA ITALY LABORER
romano , domenico 5/20/1891 ALTAVILLO MILUCIA ITALY LABORER

Thank you!

Curt

[curt_k]

I am in same situation as Curt_K. Cannot find any information about my grandparents naturalizing and NARA could not find. I did submit a request via USCIS for Naturalization document request but it takes a while to get back (9-12months). In the meantime I requested a CONE (that confirms they were not naturalized), a different document from USCIS, which only takes about 30 days. If they were naturalized then I should get that information when they get back with me in 30 days about my CONE. Then I will just have to wait until the other USCIS document comes back in 9-12 months. If they have a CONE then that is all I need to submit with my application for dual citizenship.

Thank you! This is very helpful, 30 days is much better than a year to get this info!

Curt

[erinrf]

I recently obtained a CONE. Please know that at that time they were getting 2X the number of CONE requests and the turnaround time is months long. Still shorter than the USCIS's turnaround time. Good luck!!

[curt_k]

I recently obtained a CONE. Please know that at that time they were getting 2X the number of CONE requests and the turnaround time is months long. Still shorter than the USCIS's turnaround time. Good luck!!

Good to know! Thank you!

[CaputoBruno]

Can you guys explain the process of requesting the cone or filing the cone request in detail. Provide the link to the site, general information, etc. This could be useful for so many people that are simply filling out the USCIS request, especially for those that they are able to produce a CONE. If a cone exists, that is all that is needed. If not, it is likely they naturalized and you will have to wait for USCIS to get back to you.

[curt_k]

Here's the site I used (US government agecy, US Citizenship and Immigration Services). It has the PDF form (G-1566) and instructions. It's pretty a standard government form. It does need to be notarized.

https://www.uscis.gov/g-1566

[CaputoBruno]

Awesome! Thanks Curt!

[afecad]

Same for me with my GGF, but the county courthouse in Pennsylvania where he landed had the naturalization certificate. For my GGM same thing, USCIS and NARA nothing, but no naturalization document was found. The courthouse issued a certificate of no record found and this is what ICA is using for my 1948 case.