California Immigration Registers of Japanese, Filipinos, and Hawaiians at San Francisco - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains Registers of Japanese, Filipinos, and Hawaiians Held for Boards of Special Inquiry at San Francisco, California, September 1928 to February 1942. The records are a chronological listing of people detained for boards of special inquiry. The records are arranged by date of arrival then by vessel. The collection corresponds with NARA publication A3408 part of Record Group 85 Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and was filmed at the NARA facility in Washington DC.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name
 * Age
 * Nationality
 * Significant remarks
 * Name of vessel
 * Port of departure
 * Date of departure
 * Port of arrival
 * Date of arrival

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The age or date and port of arrival or departure

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the NARA Roll Number 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.

What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information found in the record to find other records such port records, and ship’s manifests
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land and probate records
 * Use the record to see if other family members may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information
 * Search census records for additional information on family members
 * Look for the Declaration of Intent soon after the immigrant arrived. Then look for the Naturalization Petition five years later, when the residency requirement would have been met. Look for naturalization records in federal courts, then in state, county, or city courts. An individual may have filed the first and final papers in different courts and sometimes in a different state if the person moved. Immigrants who were younger than 18 when they arrived did not need to file a Declaration of Intent as part of the process

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

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of California.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * California Guided Research
 * California Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

FamilySearch Catalog

 * California, immigration registers of Japanese, Filipinos, and Hawaiians at San Francisco, 1928-1942
 * California, San Francisco, register of Chinese immigrant court cases and foreign seamen tax cards, 1883-1924. NARA publication A3381
 * Hawaii, Honolulu alien certificates surrendered at San Francisco by aliens who had arrived at Honolulu, Hawaii, 1912-1946. NARA publication A3975
 * Partnership lists of Chinese firms in San Francisco, California, and nationwide, 1893-1907; and index of Chinese departing from San Francisco, California, 1912-1943.

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * California, Chinese Partnerships and Departures from San Francisco, 1893-1943
 * California, San Francisco Chinese passenger lists, 1882-1947
 * California, San Francisco, Register of Chinese Immigrant Court Cases and Foreign Seamen Tax Cards, 1883-1924
 * United States, California, San Francisco, Records of Chinese Laborers Returning to the US, 1882-1888

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.

California, San Francisco, registros de inmigración de japoneses, filipinos y hawaianos (Registros históricos de FamilySearch)