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:

Collection Content
Passport records usuallly contain the following information:


 * 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.

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.


 * Collection Citation:"Portugal, Coimbra, Passport Registers and Application Files, 1835-1938" Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra (University of Coimbra Archives, Coimbra).