Important research opportunity for the Asian American community regarding P-Files (Petition Files).
What Are P-Files?
P-Files are Naturalization Petition Files created by U.S. Naturalization Examiners in field offices for every naturalization petition filed between September 27, 1906, and February 28, 1950.
- Files dated through July 1929 are typically brief summaries (“briefs”), about half a page in length.
- After July 1929, P-Files became much more detailed and often contained richer information than C-Files.
- After 1950, naturalization records are generally found in C-Files (through 1956) and A-Files thereafter.
- A P-File may exist even if the petition was denied or the process was never completed.
These records are held at Federal Records Centers in San Bruno, California, or Lee’s Summit, Missouri, depending on where the individual petitions for naturalization.
Why This Matters for the Chinese and Asian American Communities
For the Chinese American community, P-Files may exist for individuals who petitioned before February 28, 1950, including:
- Those who applied after the passage of the Magnuson Act (December 17, 1943), which repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act
- U.S.-born women who married Asian immigrants, lost their citizenship, and later regained it
- Men who served in the U.S. Army during World War I and obtained citizenship under the Nye-Lea Act (1935)
These files can contain valuable genealogical, legal, and historical information that may not appear in other immigration records.
Community Research Effort
Linda Harms Okazaki is working to collect and analyze as many P-Files as possible to build a knowledge base that benefits the broader Asian American community. While her primary research focus has been on Japanese Americans, she is actively gathering information related to other Asian communities as well.
How to Participate – Please submit by or before March 15
Please provide the following information. The request cannot be made without this data.
- Full name (including any variations or alternate spellings)
- Date of birth
- Country of birth
- Proof of death
- Naturalization documents (copy of naturalization petition, an index to a petition, or a naturalization certificate) – The petition is sometimes available on Ancestry. You might include an image of a petition for a Chinese immigrant and also an index card.
- Location where the petition was filed
Linda will review the information, determine the appropriate court, file number, accession number, and box number, and submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the P-File.
Documents are typically delivered digitally, and participants will receive a digital copy of the records. There is no cost to submit the FOIA request, though you may need to obtain a death certificate if one is not already available.
For those who participate, a private Google Drive folder will be created to securely share documents.
No request will be made if the research subject is still living or if the documents are not provided.This is an opportunity for Linda to request something on your behalf, but you must provide the supporting documentation.
For more information or to participate, please contact:
Linda Harms Okazaki
LindasOrchard@gmail.com
This is a meaningful opportunity to help preserve and document the naturalization history of our Asian American families and communities.
The example below is a good starting point, though birthdate, location of petition, proof of death, and alternate names are also needed.
Linda Harms Okazaki
California Genealogical Society, Past President
Nikkei Genealogical Society, Charter Member
Association of Professional Genealogists, president NorCal Chapter
Linda’s Orchard, LLC
925-451-1929
