Portugal, Coimbra Passport Registers and Application Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection of miscellaneous records covers the years 1835 to 1938.

The records included in this collection are those of passport registers and passport application files, which have been kept at the University of Coimbra Archives. These records are written in Portuguese. Most of the documents are handwritten in formatted registers, and a few are in narrative style.

Emigration from Portugal dates from the 15th century, the beginning of Portugal's period of overseas exploration. From the middle of the 19th century to the late 1950s, nearly two million Portuguese left Europe to live in Brazil and the United States.

Passports and citizen cards were necessary to keep a record of the population movement both within the country and to overseas countries.

Emigration records are reliable because people had to present some sort of identification when applying for a passport. These records are important to find the residence and destination of ancestors.

Reading These Records
These records are in Portuguese. For help reading these records see the following guides:


 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Portuguese Letter-writing Guide
 * Learning Center Resources:

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Passport
 * Name of principal
 * Age and physical description
 * Place of origin
 * Current residence
 * Date passport was issued

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Volume number and Years to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing This Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate civil records

I Can’t Find The Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Church records are also a good source of genealogical information. You should obtain copies of both church records and civil registration, when possible, since they do not necessarily provide the same information
 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Portugal’s emigration rate is one of the highest in the world. Check Portugal Emigration and Immigration for more information
 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back and see if your ancestor’s records have been added.  You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections and notice the asterisk for recently added or updated records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Portugal.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.