Portugal, Aveiro, Passport Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection of passport registers covers the years 1882-1965.

The records included in this collection are those of passport registers and application files from the district of Aveiro in Portugal. Most of the documents are handwritten in formatted registers and a few are in narrative style. The book's numeration at the Arquivo Distrital de Aveiro is different than the numeration given in the original books. In this collection the original books start with number 11, but the Aveiro District Archive labeled the same book number 1 (Tomo 1). The original books can help you with you genealogy.

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
For help reading these Portuguese records see the following guides:
 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Portuguese Letter-writing Guide
 * Learning Center Resources:

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Passport records usually contain the following information:
 * Names to whom passport(s) were issued
 * Principal person's birth date and place of birth
 * Civil status and residence
 * Physical description
 * Names of children, their age and gender
 * Name of spouse, their birth date and place of birth
 * Physical description of spouse
 * List of countries in which passport is valid
 * Expiration date of passport
 * Date passport was issued

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before using this collection it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Family relationships

View The Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Volume numbers 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.