Finding Unpublished US Passenger Arrival Records

Smaller Ports That Haven't Yet Been Published on Microfilm (from 1820 on)
A small number of passenger records for smaller US ports have not yet been published by the National Archives (NARA). If you can't find the smaller port or time frame you need among the published microfilm records, then try the links below. You will have to contact NARA by mail to obtain copies of these records. These unpublished records are usually not indexed so you will need to know the date and port of arrival to research them. NARA occasionally adds new microfilmed publications from the 2 record groups listed below to their catalog so you might check the links on the US Ports of Entry webpage before writing about unpublished records.

Record Group 36 - Records of the United States Customs Service (NARA Link)

Record Group 85 - Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) (NARA Link)

See the INS Ports of Entry Page to see a list of records by port (since 1892)

For information on how to obtain these records contact the National Archives at this link and include the following information...

Your First & Last Name
Your Email Address
Your Complete (Snail) Mailing Address
Your Phone Number (Optional)
Details of the search you are requesting -- give the Record Group Number, date and port you are looking for, along with a request that you want to order copies through the mail

NARA will forward your email to the appropriate department and get back to you with instructions on how to obtain copies of the records you are seeking (if available).

Finding Aids for Unpublished US Passenger Arrival Records