South Dakota Naturalization and Citizenship

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 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, download a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) form at www.uscis.gov, fill it out and send it to the address listed on the form. You may also contact the National Archives—Central Plains Region at Kansas City for naturalization records.