Brazil, São Paulo, Immigration Cards - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection dates from 1902 to 1980 and contains immigration cards issued by Brazilian consulates around the world. These cards were then presented at the port of entry by foreigners visiting or immigrating to Brazil through the port of Santos in São Paulo. These records are housed at the Arquivo Público do Estado de São Paulo.

Reading These Records
For help reading these Portuguese records see the following:


 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Brazil Language and Languages

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

Immigration cards
 * Name of immigrant
 * Date and place of immigration
 * Nationality
 * Names of family members (including parents and children)
 * Birth information

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before using this collection it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage or birth year

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 


 * 1) Select Letter
 * 2) Select Surname 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
 * Once you are able to locate your ancestor, the card information will help you determine where he or she came from, the date and place of birth, and the parents’ names. This information will let you prepare a family group record for the family. You can then start searching in the records from the place of birth and residence for other members of the family
 * If just the country is given, use the last name to search for your ancestor and his/her family in his/her home country; this is called a surname search and helps to pinpoint what cities/provinces/states were the hometowns of families
 * Also, use the last name to search for any possible relatives that may have traveled with, after, or before your ancestor
 * These records may be used to document your immigrant ancestor's trip to Brazil, but do not overlook the possibility of finding ancestors that were merely vacationing, visiting relatives, or traveling on business
 * Be sure and click on "View Image" to bring up the actual image; there is often additional information that might be valuable in your researching
 * These type-written records may have been transcribed from hand-written lists. So errors may be found in the spellings of names
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Remember that your ancestor's name may be spelled according to the new country's native language or the language of your ancestor's home country
 * The port your ancestor departed from may not be his/her hometown

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

 * If you think your ancestor may have immigrated to Brazil and you cannot find him/her in this collection, then check the records of other ports in Brazil. Information on these other ports can be found here, Brazil Emigration and Immigration
 * Clerks may have written/spelled the name of your ancestor as they heard it, not as it is spelled in your ancestor's native language. Learn about pronunciation of your ancestor's native language
 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back to 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.  Watch for an asterisk for recently added or updated records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Brazil.
 * 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.