South Dakota Naturalization and Citizenship

Portal:United States Naturalization &gt;South Dakota

Availability
In the territorial era, naturalization proceedings were handled by the U.S. district courts. For information, contact the National Archives—Central Plains Region at Kansas City.

After statehood in 1889, the clerk of the circuit court in each South Dakota county was authorized to keep all naturalization records. You can obtain copies of declarations and petitions from the clerk's office.

The South Dakota State Archives has placed an Index to the South Dakota Naturalization Records on-line.

The Family History Library has many county naturalization records from the district and circuit courts.

Post-1906 Records
In 1906 the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) was created, forms were standardized and duplicate naturalization records were created by the court and sent to the INS. To access these records, use the Genealogy Program at www.uscis.gov. You may also contact the National Archives—Central Plains Region in Kansas City for naturalization records.