difference between naturalization and citizenship

[eventide]

Is there a difference between naturalization and citizenship? I have naturalization papers for my ancestor that says he was naturalized in 1897. He seems to have applied for missing citizenship papers in 1935. So not sure when he became a citizen.

[Zebe]

Naturalization is the process, citizenship is the (hoped for) result.

[ljirwin42]

Originally Posted by eventide

Is there a difference between naturalization and citizenship? I have naturalization papers for my ancestor that says he was naturalized in 1897. He seems to have applied for missing citizenship papers in 1935. So not sure when he became a citizen.

There are two kinds of citizenship: (1) Being born in the USA, (2) Completing the naturalization process.

I suspect that your ancestor applied for his 1897 papers in 1935 because Social Security came into effect about then. It caused a flurry of people to request naturalization papers, birth certificates, baptism records, etc. to establish their age and identity in order to qualify for Soc. Sec. benefits.
Lee James Irwin
FamilyMatters Research

[Ronald N. Gowe]

The difference between Naturalization and citizenship varies depending where you are from.
My father was born in Everett, MA of Canadian parents. The family moved back to Canada (SK) when he was seven years old. He served in the Canadian army for 2 1/2 years during WWI, was gassed in 1917 and on a Canadian Military pension for the rest of his life. He was employed by the Federal Board of Grain Commisioners for 34 years. In 1943 he received a draft notice from the U.S. and told to report to Seattle, WA. I don't know how he handled that but he did serve during WW II in the ARP in Vancouver. When he applied for a passport in 1967 to visit a daughter at the RCAF base in Lahr, Germany he was told that he was not a citizen and had to apply to become a Naturalized Canadian Citizen.
NOTE: Prior to 1949 there was no Canadian passports; Canadians were issued passports as a "British Subject".

[metfordplatt]

Yes, naturalisation and citizenship are not always the same thing according to the country of origin. But I do have my grandfather's Canadian passport from the early 1920s. He was born in the US in 1900, went to Canada with his British father and American mother in 1905, went to the merchant marine in the early 1920s from Montreal and sailed a lot of the seven seas. He had to apply for a visa for the US on one of his trips to visit family in NJ (although he was born there, in NJ), and "immigrated" to the US in Dec 1928 (although he went to boarding school in Mass during the 1910s). He was never a citizen of Canada but was a British subject, but not naturalised as he was British by birth (his father). I believe, correct me if I am wrong, but you become naturalised if you are not a citizen by birth or by parentage (usually the father in the olden days). But there were Canadian passports prior to 1949, just not citizenship until 1949 (inside it says he is a British subject).

[eventide]

Interesting theory Lee. However, for what ever reason neither he or his wife had an SS#. I also just found out that about a year later my grand mother was looking for her baptismal certificate. For some reason they must have need the info.