Immigration records, more popularly known as "ship passenger
arrival records," may provide evidence of a person's arrival in
the United States, as well as foreign birthplace. The National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has immigration
records for various ports for the years 1800-1959. What NARA
Has. Until January 1, 1820, the U.S. Federal Government did not
require require captains or masters of vessels to present a
passenger list to U.S. officials. Thus, as a general rule, NARA
does not have passenger lists of vessels arriving before January
1, 1820. There are, however, two exceptions to this general
rule: Arrivals at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1813-1819, are
reproduced in NARA microfilm publication: Roll 1 of M2009, Work
Projects Administration Transcript of Passenger Lists of Vessels
Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1813-1849 (2 rolls).
Arrivals at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1819, are
reproduced in two NARA microfilm publications: Rolls 1-29 of
M425, Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at