Until 1914 naturalization could be granted by local acts or by the legislature, and details of these grants may be recorded in acts or sessional papers. Correspondence and memorials relating to naturalisation may be found in governor's correspondence and sessional papers and notices of naturalizations were often published in the Government Gazettes.

The records may survive locally but copies may be available in the National Archives in the records of the Colonial Office. Enrolled grants of naturalisations may be found in deeds or patent registers in the relevant country's archive or register office.

Under the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914, naturalisations in the colonies needed to be first approved by the colonial secretary and then by the home secretary. Certificates of nationality until 1987 are available in the National Archives in the series HO 334 and have an 'O' prefix. These are indexed until 1961 annually in the British Parliamentary Papers, and Home Office indexes to 1980 are available in the National Archives. These colonial naturalisations are indexed at the end of each index in the overseas section.

The certificates in HO 334 are arranged by certificate number and contain the following information: name, address, occupation, place and date of birth, nationality, marital status, names and nationality of parents, and if applicable the name of spouse and children.

Correspondence and testimonials were sent to the home secretary as evidence for the application and were later returned to the governor. Copies of the correspondence and duplicate certificates may survive in the relevant archive although it is sometimes possible to find correspondence in the Colonial Office original correspondence series and notices may be announced in the Government Gazette.

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