Can NARA issue a custom negative search letter?

No. NARA will not issue a negative search letter containing language related to request-specific parameters. While NARA staff may request additional information such as date of birth, possible time frame of naturalization, and place of residence to guide search approaches and aid in confirming plausible matches during a search, these details will not be incorporated into a negative search letter. NARA staff search federal court naturalization records by subject’s name and can issue a negative search letter stating that a member of the reference staff searched a specific index(es) for a federal court and did not locate a record for the individual requested. However, NARA will not issue a negative search letter in cases where there is proof that a naturalization proceeding was completed and citizenship was granted regardless of the timeframe of that action. NARA can provide a certified copy of naturalization records in its holdings.