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Citizenship and Return to Norway

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Throughout the 1800s to the early 1900s, the path to citizenship was a simple two-step process. It's important to note if a woman was married, her citizenship status was dependent on her husband’s status. Before the 1922 Cable Act and subsequent laws, a married immigrant woman effectively could not pursue naturalization for herself as an individual

Step one was “Declaration of Intention,” done by going to a local courthouse and declaring that they intended to become a citizen of the United States. This step included a sworn statement in front of a judge, signing a document, and renouncing allegiance to their former country. It’s important to note that women didn’t have the right to vote during this time, and often didn’t buy land. It was rare to find a naturalization document for them before the 1920s.

Step two was to “Petition for Naturalization.” After five years, they could return to the courthouse with two witnesses who could swear that they’ve been a good US citizen. They would then take oath in front of a judge, and officially become citizens. If the applicant married and had children, they’d automatically become citizens too. Children who were born in the US from unnaturalized parents were considered citizens by birth at this point. With the influx of immigrants in the early 1900s, more formalized documentation was developed that included information about who immigrated with them as well as their specific place of birth, port of arrival, and name of ship. When women gained the right to vote in 1920, separate papers were required for women. Eventually, Federal Agencies took over the work of local courts to oversee the immigration process. 

Return Migration

Immigration wasn’t always one-sided. Sometimes immigrants would return to their homelands. For Norwegians, the rate of return was quite low, approximately 50,000 emigrated back. From 1908 to 1923, the United States collected statistics about return migration. Throughout those years, the US saw 10 million immigrant arrivals and lost 3.5 million. In some cases, the return migration was part of a larger plan to come to the US to work, save money, and return to Norway to purchase land. For some, the return also increased their likelihood of receiving higher-paying jobs despite coming from a poorer background. 

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  1. Introduction Kristina Warner

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