Other Records of the Chief Controller of Chinese Immigration

This register documents Chinese residents of southern Ontario planning to travel in and out of Canada, including through other ports, such as Vancouver and Victoria. These individuals were required to register with the Controller of Chinese Immigration at Central District headquarters in Toronto.

Initially, both foreign and Canadian-born residents who applied for C.I.9 certificates were recorded in a consolidated set of records. Later, foreign-born and Canadian-born Chinese were recorded separately. The records span the years from 1923-1950.

There are approximately 1200 C.I.9 registration records, as well as about 460 C.I.9A registrations of seamen.

Each record contains the following information:

• Number
• Name
• Residence in Canada
  • Last date of
  • Length of time
  • Occupation
• Date of First Arrival in Canada
• If Registered as Immigrant, No. of Certificate
• Last Place of Residence Before Arriving in Canada
• Place of Birth
• Present Age
• Height
• Distinguishing Marks
• Port or Place He Wished to Visit
• Intended Route
• Date of
  • Departure
  • Return
• By Whom Identified

For more detail see the archival record of the Central District Register of Chinese Out-Registrations through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At Library and Archives Canada

This set of federal Chinese immigration records documents the issuing of C.I.36 certificates to approximately 24,200 individuals. C.I.36 certificates were issued to replace C.I.5 (head tax) certificates issued prior to 1912. The older certificates were considered inadequate because they did not include photographs. Replacements were issued as the occasion arose - for example, when someone needed a travel document. Most individuals listed in the register arrived in Canada between 1895-1912.

The records are arranged in numerical order and are roughly chronological. The date of the first record is January 28, 1913, while the last record is dated February 26, 1949.

The "Details of arrival in Canada" section records the date of the person's original arrival in Canada, and the number of any C.I.4 or C.I.5 certificate that was issued.

The register is divided into columns with labels as follows:

• C.I.36 Number
• Name
• Details of Arrival in Canada
  • Port
  • Ship
  • Date
  • Serial Number
  • C.I.4 Number
  • C.I.5 Number
• File Number
• Date of issue of C.I.36
• Remarks
  • Indicates the individual's residence (often including their street address) and usually notes "Gave name on arrival . . ." In many cases, alternate forms of name are indicated.

For more detail see the archival record of the C.I.36 Register through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At the Vancouver Public Library

The C.I.36 Register has been microfilmed and is available on two reels at the Vancouver Public Library. The first section of the Register is found at the end of microfilm reel T-3486, one of a series of eight microfilm reels comprising several sets of federal Chinese immigration records. The Register continues on reel T-3487.

T-3486 - Film notes

Note that the beginning of the film comprises the final sections of the General Registers of Chinese Immigration. These are followed by the C.I.28 Register and then by the first part of the C.I.36 Register. The date ranges shown in the tables below are approximate, as the records are not in exact chronological order.

T-3487 - Film notes

Note that this microfilm also contains the Newfoundland Register of Arrivals and Outward Registrations.

This set of records was compiled by local controllers of Chinese immigration at Victoria. It comprises monthly lists of individuals in two categories:

• Those who had left Canada temporarily and who were later re-admitted under valid C.I.9 or C.I.9A certificates.
• Those who were native-born (and therefore not travelling with a C.I.9 or C.I.9A) but who had left Canada temporarily and were later re-admitted.

The records cover the period from October 1911 to December 1953.

The format of the lists varied during the 42 years that they were maintained. Typically, the names on each typewritten monthly list were organized by ship name, and include the number of each individual's C.I.9, their name, their C.I.5, C.I.28 or C.I.36 number, and their age.

The records also list people who had stayed out of Canada beyond the legal time limit on C.I.9 certificates, and whose C.I.9 certificates were therefore cancelled. They cover the period from about 1918 to 1953. February to May 1924, January 1932 to December 1933, and January 1941 to December 1946 are missing.

The C.I.9 cancellation lists record each individual's name together with 4 numbers:

• C.I.9 No.
• Main identifying document number (C.I.5, C.I.28 or C.I.4)
• Victoria C.I.4 No.
• Sec. 18 No. (This was the individual's registration number under the terms of Section 18 of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923.)

For more details, see the archival record of Lists of Persons Readmitted to Canada at Victoria under C.I.9/ 9A Certificates and Other Readmissions and Cancellations through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At Library and Archives Canada

The re-admission lists are separated into 31 sections on the microfilm, but the dividers between sections are difficult to read. The final section, 32, comprises the cancellation lists.

The range of dates covered by each section of the film is as follows:

This set of federal Chinese immigration records documents individuals to whom C.I.9 and C.I.9A certificates were issued in Vancouver and Victoria. C.I.9 and C.I.9A certificates were issued to people of Chinese origin who wished to leave Canada temporarily. This included both foreign-born individuals and those born in Canada.

The lists were compiled in Victoria and cover the years from 1913-1953. They were submitted to Ottawa on a monthly basis by local Controllers of Chinese Immigration in Vancouver and Victoria.

The lists were typewritten and their format varied over time. The early lists included the number of the C.I.9 or C.I.9A certificate issued, the individual's name, age, and the number of their C.I.5, C.I.28, or C.I.36 certificate. Later lists also listed C.I.30 certificate numbers.

Later lists included the same information, but also listed C.I.30 certificate numbers, and were divided into separate sections for those receiving C.I.9s, C.I.9As, and the native-born.

For more details see the archival record of the Lists of Persons to Whom C.I.9 and C.I.9A Certificates Have Been Issued in Vancouver and Victoria through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At the Vancouver Public Library

The above set of records has been microfilmed and is available at the Vancouver Public Library. The records are found on microfilm reels T-6053 and T-6054. The films are arranged in reverse chronological order with the most recent monthly list at the beginning.

The records are divided into sections as listed below. However, the sections are not clearly marked and many images are of poor quality.

T-6053 - Film notes

This film covers certificates issued at Victoria from April 1913 to March 1953.

T-6054 - Film notes

This film covers certificates issued at Vancouver from January 1913 to February 1953.

This register lists individuals of Chinese origin who entered Newfoundland as immigrants, or who left Newfoundland temporarily or permanently. Newfoundland did not become a Canadian province until 1949, so immigration and emigration was handled separately.

The total number of immigrants and emigrants documented in the register is approximately 900.

Each record contains the following information:

• Date of arrival
• Name
• Birth
  • This was the place of birth.
• Age
• NF 63 number
  • This was an identifying document issued to immigrants who arrived in Newfoundland, comparable to the identifying documents issued by Canadian authorities.
• Occupation
• Conveyance (e.g. name of ship)
• Amount of head tax paid
• File number (usually blank)

For more details, see the archival record of the Newfoundland Register of Arrivals and Outward Registrations through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At the Vancouver Public Library

The above records are available on microfilm reel T-3487 at the Vancouver Public Library.

T-3487 - Film notes

Note that the first section of the film comprises the second portion of the C.I.36 register. These records are unrelated to the Newfoundland register.

Online

Records from the Newfoundland Register of Arrivals and Outward Registrations are incorporated in Library and Archives Canada's Immigrants from China database. Search results are linked to digitized images of the original records.

This set of records (Library and Archives Canada RG 76, Volume 693) comprises a register of Chinese immigrants who arrived at the Port of New Westminster, B.C. The migrants entered mainly between June 14, 1887, and February 28, 1898, although there is one individual entry from 1907 (no. 428) and two from 1908 (nos. 429-430).

The records were collected by the Controller of Chinese Immigration at the port. This person reported monthly to the Chief Controller of Chinese Immigration in Ottawa. Although similar registers were compiled at other ports, this is the only one that has survived. Information collected in the port registers was entered into the General Registers of Chinese Immigration. Therefore, there should be a corresponding record in the General Register for everyone listed in the New Westminster port register.

Four hundred thirty individuals are documented and listed in sequence according to the No. of Statement and Declaration in the left-hand corner (1-430). Most indicate the City or Village in China from which the person came, but not the District. Ships are occasionally identified by name, but more usually as "Steamship" or "Sailing Ship".

The Register, almost identical to the General Register of Chinese Immigration, was divided into columns with numbers and labels as follows:

1. No. of Statement and Declaration
2. Names
3. Date of Registration Certificate Issued
4. C.I.5
5. C.I.6
6. Fees Paid
7. Sex
8. Age Place of Birth
9. City or Village
10. District
11. Province, &c.
12. Title, Official Rank, Profession or Occupation
13. Last Place of Domicile Arrival in Canada
14. Port or Place of
15. Name of Vessel, Railway or Other Conveyance
16. Date of
17. Physical Marks or Peculiarities
18. Remarks

Beginning at record 36, the "Remarks" column is divided (by hand), into two sub-columns, labelled "Certificate of Leave" and "Date of Return". These columns were evidently used to document temporary absences from Canada.

For more details, see the archival record of the New Westminster Register of Chinese Immigration through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At the Vancouver Public Library

The above set of records has been microfilmed and is available at the Vancouver Public Library. It is found at the beginning of microfilm reel C-9510, which is the first in a set of eight microfilm reels comprising several series of federal Chinese immigration records.. Following the Port of New Westminster Register, the remainder of the film comprises the first section of the General Registers of Chinese Immigration.

Online

Records from the Register of Chinese Immigration - Port of New Westminster are incorporated in Library and Archives Canada's Immigrants from China database. Search results are linked to digitized images of the original records.

This large loose-leaf register lists Chinese immigrants entering Canada at Vancouver who were exempted from paying head tax. The list is an apparent carbon copy of an original, whose location is unknown. There is a list for each month, beginning January 1914 and ending January 1924. In most months, only a few exemptions were granted, and in some, there were none.

Usually, people claimed exemption from the head tax as independent merchants or as members of a partnership or company or their dependents. Some claimed exemption as members of other exempted groups, such as teachers and diplomats. In other cases, Canadian-born Chinese who had left Canada under C.I.9 rules and overstayed their absence also were able to claim exemption.

Entries in the Vancouver Ledger of Exempt Admissions are presented under the column headings listed below. See the Victoria Ledger of Exempt Admissions — an identical type of record — for more details and examples.

• Name of Firm
• Number of Partners
• When Partnership Registered
• Place of Business
• Name of Husband, Father or Applicant
• No. of Wives
• No. of Sons
• No. of Daughters
• Which of Them Arrived Here
• Date of Arrival
• C.I.4 or C.I. 30 No.
• Date of Admission
• Port File Number

For more details see the archival record of the Vancouver Ledger of Exempt Admissions through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At Library and Archives Canada

The above records have not been microfilmed. For information on how to consult them, see Consult LAC material. The archival reference number for this item is RG76.Vol. 1069.

This large loose-leaf register lists Chinese immigrants entering Canada at Victoria who were exempted from paying the head tax.

The list appears to be a carbon copy of an original, whose location is unknown. There is a list for each month, beginning January 1914 and ending September 1930. In most months only a few exemptions were granted, and in some there were none.

Usually, people claimed exemption from the head tax as independent merchants or as members of a partnership or company or their dependents. Some claimed exemption as members of other exempted groups, such as teachers and diplomats. In other cases, Canadian-born Chinese who had left Canada under C.I.9 rules and overstayed their absence also were able to claim exemption.

Each entry in the monthly ledger includes the following column headings. The examples shown are for entries from June 1919:

Name of Firm

• This is usually the name of the company which applied for exemption on behalf of one of the partners or his dependents. Until February 1921, the names of all the firm's partners were listed.
  • Examples:
  • Chung Wo Company
  • Partners: Won Kum. Won Wa. Won Hock Lim. and Won Yuk
• In other cases it is the name of the individual native-born Canadian that is recorded. These entries usually often include information on date and place of birth in Canada.
  • Example:
  • Lum Jung. Born at Ashcroft B.C. on the 22nd Nov. 1888. Expired C.I.9 No.20904
    dated 4th Nov.1912. C.I.28 No. 02229.

Number of Partners

• When a firm applied on behalf of a partner or his dependents, the number of partners was listed.
  • Example: 4

When Partnership Registered

• The date on which the partnership was registered is recorded.
  • Example: 20-Feb.1903.

Place of Business

• The location of the business.
  • Example: Victoria, B.C.

Name of Husband, Father or Applicant

• In the case of firms, the name of the individual seeking exemption (or the Husband or Father of the dependent) appeared in this column.
  • Example: Won Yuk, husband
• In the case of native-born expired returnees, this column was left blank as the information appeared in the "Name of Firm" column.

No. of Wives

• A numerical value.
  • Usually 1

No. of Sons

• A numerical value.
  • Example: 4

No. of Daughters

• A numerical value.
  • Example: 4

Which of Them Arrived Here

• Early records simply give a relationship name, e.g. Wife.
• Later records provide names.

Date of Arrival

• Example: 20th May 1919

C.I.4 or C.I.30 No.

• Example (firm applying on behalf of partner): 01888
• Example (Canadian-born returning after expiry of C.I.9 certificate):Nil

Date of Admission

• Example: 6th June 1919

Port File Number

• Example: 51073

In some cases, foreign-born Chinese did not apply for exemption as a member of a firm, but registered as New merchants or as members of other exempt classes, such as School teacher.

In some cases, additional documentation has been tipped into the ledger.

For more details see the archival record of the Victoria Ledger of Exempt Admissions through Collection Search on the Library and Archives Canada website.

FINDING THE RECORDS

At Library and Archives Canada

The above records have not been microfilmed. For information on how to consult them, see Consult LAC material. The archival reference number for this item is RG76.Vol. 1070.