USCIS 

Genealogy

Program

M-1041 (rev. 05/12)

USCIS Genealogy Program

The USCIS Genealogy Program is a feebased service providing family historians 

and other researchers with timely and 

accurate access to historical immigration 

and naturalization records.

www.uscis.gov/genealogy

How to Make a Request:

Requests may be submitted online using a credit 

card or by mail using a money order or cashier’s 

check. 

To make an online request, visit www.uscis.gov/

genealogy and follow the “Make a Genealogy 

Request” link. Please be sure to read all of the 

instructions before submitting a request.

To make a request via postal mail, please complete 

and submit the appropriate USCIS Genealogy 

Program request form:

Genealogy Index Search Request (G-1041)

Or

Genealogy Records Request (G-1041A)

The forms may be downloaded from the 

“Immigration Forms” section of www.uscis.gov.

Send your completed form and fee payment to:

USCIS Genealogy Program

P.O. Box 805925

Chicago, IL 60680-4120

Note: The above address receives only request forms 

and payments. Please do not send correspondence to 

this address. 

For more information about the USCIS Genealogy 

Program and the records available through it please 

visit our website: www.uscis.gov/genealogy.

Send questions and comments to our mailbox at 

Genealogy.USCIS@dhs.gov or leave a toll-free voice 

message at 1-866-259-2349. 
The USCIS Genealogy Program offers two services:

INDEX SEARCH: (FORM G-1041) 

Using biographical information provided by 

the researcher, USCIS searches its historical 

immigration and naturalization record indices 

for citations related to a specific immigrant. The 

search results (record citations) are returned to 

the researcher, along with instructions on how 

to request the file(s) from USCIS, the National 

Archives, or local courts. 

Researchers who do not have a valid USCIS file 

number citation, who are unsure whether USCIS 

holds a record for their ancestor, or who wish to 

know about every historical USCIS record related 

to their ancestor, should make an index search 

request.

Fee: $20.00

Information Required for an Index Search 

Request

To make an Index Search Request you will need 

to provide at least the following information 

about your immigrant ancestor:

•	 Name (aliases, maiden, and variations)

•	 Date of birth (actual or estimated)

•	 Country of birth

You will also be asked to provide optional 

information, such as date of arrival in the US 

and places of residence. While this information is 

not required it is often essential for locating the 

correct index entries. 

If your ancestor was born less than 100 years ago 

you will also need to provide proof of his/her 

death.

Index Search 

Results

Index Search Requests 

are responded to 

by letter, reporting 

whether or not the 

search identified a 

record for the immigrant named.

If so, the letter provides the file number, record 

series, and any additional information, as well 

as instructions and applicable fees to request the 

record(s) from the USCIS Genealogy Program. 

In some cases the letter informs researchers 

of other record citations found, and provides 

instructions for requesting that record from the 

National Archives or local courts.

RECORD COPY REQUEST: 

(FORM G-1041-A) 

Researchers with valid USCIS file number 

citations gained through a USCIS Genealogy 

Program index search or through independent 

research may request copies of historical 

immigration and naturalization records. 

Fees depend 

on record 

format: 

$20.00 

(Microfilm)/

$35.00 

(Hard Copy)

Information Required for a Record Copy 

Request 

The USCIS Genealogy program can only fulfill 

record requests that include a valid file number, 

such as a naturalization certificate number. Most 

researchers will receive the necessary file numbers 

from their USCIS Genealogy Program index search 

results. However, researchers who have located file 

numbers independently may use them to make a 

record copy request.

If your ancestor was born less than 100 years ago 

you will also need to provide proof of his/her 

death.

If you do not have a file number, or you are unsure 

whether or not USCIS maintains a file for your 

ancestor, please submit an index search request.

Records Available from the USCIS 

Genealogy Program:

•	 Naturalization Certificate Files (C-files) from

September 27, 1906 to April 1, 1956

•	 Alien Registration Forms from August 1, 1940

to March 31, 1944

•	 Visa files from July 1, 1924 to March 31,

1944

•	 Registry Files from March 2, 1929 to March

31, 1944

•	 Alien Files (A-files) numbered below 8

million (A8000000) and documents therein 

dated prior to May 1, 1951

For a more information and a complete list of 

sample file numbers please visit www.uscis.gov/

genealogy.