Form 430 - Application of Alleged American-born Chinese for Preinvestigation of Status by Wong Kim Ark
10/17/1913
Add to Favorites:
Add all page(s) of this document to activity:
Add only page 1 to activity:
Add only page 2 to activity:
This item is an Application of Alleged American-born Chinese for Preinvestigation of Status, known as Form 430. This application was submitted by Wong Kim Ark who claimed he was born in the United States. This document is written in both English and Chinese and is addressed to Samuel W. Backus, the Commissioner of Immigration at San Francisco.
Wong Kim Ark was born in San Francisco in 1873. In 1894, Wong went to China for a visit. He returned to the United States in August 1895, but was denied entry by the San Francisco Collector of Customs on the claim that, although born at 751 Sacramento Street in San Francisco, Wong was not a citizen.
Wong appealed for judicial review of this decision by executive branch immigration officials. From the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, his case went through the Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court. The precedent-setting final ruling was that U.S.-born descendants of immigrants could not be denied citizenship, regardless of their ethnicity or the nationality of their ancestors.
Wong Kim Ark was born in San Francisco in 1873. In 1894, Wong went to China for a visit. He returned to the United States in August 1895, but was denied entry by the San Francisco Collector of Customs on the claim that, although born at 751 Sacramento Street in San Francisco, Wong was not a citizen.
Wong appealed for judicial review of this decision by executive branch immigration officials. From the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, his case went through the Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court. The precedent-setting final ruling was that U.S.-born descendants of immigrants could not be denied citizenship, regardless of their ethnicity or the nationality of their ancestors.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
National Archives Identifier: 18556183
Full Citation: Form 430 - Application of Alleged American-born Chinese for Preinvestigation of Status by Wong Kim Ark; 10/17/1913; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record Group 85. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/application-preinvestigation-wong-kim-ark, March 26, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.