US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Webinar Series

The USCIS is an amazing insitution and we researchers should be aware of the recourses it provides!  For instance, did you know about this FREE webinar series? They have an excellent page on how thier department aids your genealogy. Chek it out today!

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) “Your Questions” Webinar provides educational responses to record and research questions submitted by genealogical and historical researchers. The presenter is Marian L. Smith and the program focuses on historical immigration and nationality records created by the legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

I received this information about the upcoming webinar series and thought I would share it with all of you.  Case hisotires are facinating!

Ellis Island Processing:  The Case of Nanny [Fanny] Knowles

USCIS History and Genealogy “Your Questions” Webinar

Friday March 25, 2016, 1:00 pm Eastern

A researcher submitted questions about a passenger list documenting Fanny Knowles arrival, hearing, and admission at Ellis Island in 1919.  Thirteen year-old Fanny was excluded as an unaccompanied minor, despite the fact she traveled with her adult sister Edith, who was a US citizen.  How were families processed when some were citizens and some were aliens?  Was Fanny really “alone?”  What resources exist to help explain more about Ellis Island (or other US port of entry) processing?  These and other questions will be discussed and explored in the USCIS “Your Questions” webinar presentation on March 25th, 2016.

Note: this web meeting is not recorded, so be sure to join us live.  

USCIS is now using Adobe Connect to deliver webinars.  If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

  

Do I have to register for the live webinar?

No, pre-registration is not required. From our webinar page click the “Attend Session” button which takes you to the door of a virtual meeting room. Enter your name and email to join the meeting, then follow instructions to call the toll-free phone number for audio. If you have not attended before, be sure to join early so the program has time to load. For more information please see our webinar schedule page.

Do you have an immigration and naturalization research question?

·         Next “Your Questions” Webinar is Friday, May 27, 2016 1:00 PM (Eastern)

·         Submissions due by May 6, 2016

Submit your question via email to cishistory.library@uscis.dhs.gov with the subject line "Your Questions Webinar.” When doing so, remember:

·         If your question relates to a document you found, attach a copy of the document to the email.

·         Documents submitted with questions may be shared and discussed during the live webinar. Please do not send large or extensive files.

·         Questions must be received at least two weeks prior to the next scheduled session to be included in that session.

·         Multiple questions on the same topic may be grouped together to facilitate presentation of a response.

·         To ensure the hour is of interest to the widest audience, questions answered will be those most commonly asked or that generate the most useful answers.