Documents & Records
Other Certificates
Basics
In addition to the C.I.4, 5, 6, 9, 9A, 28, 30, 36, 44, 45 and 46, a number of other Chinese immigration forms were used between 1885-1953. Not all related to individuals; some were used for other administrative purposes relating to Chinese immigration.
The following is a provisional list of other forms used. It is derived from a list prepared by Library and Archives Canada in 1987.
| Form Number | Title of Description | Dates in Use | Purpose and Contents |
| C.I. Certificates | |||
| C.I.1 | "Special Reports Required by Law to be Made by the Master of Any Vessel Bringing Chinese Immigrants to Canada" | Before 1911 - after 1911 | The Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 (c.71 s.6) required the master of a ship to list the names and birthplaces of crew members, and the names, birthplaces, occupations, and last places of domicile of Chinese passengers. |
| C.I.2 | "Bill of Health" | Before 1911 - after 1911 | This certified good health on vessels bringing Chnese passengers into port. The certification was made by port quarantine officers. |
| C.I.3 | "Controller's Warrant for the Landing of Chnese Immigrants" | Before 1911 - after 1911 | This authorized a ship master to land Chinese immigrants. |
| C.I.7 | Unknown | ? - Before 1911 | Unknown |
| C.I.8 | "Report of Transactions Under the Chinese Immigration Act" | Before 1910 - after 1947 | This was a monthly report of certificates issued and other transactions carried out under the Chinese Immigration Act. It was forwarded by the Collectors of Customs who handled Chinese immigration cases. |
| C.I.9 (Nfld.) | Out-registration certificate | 1906-1950 | This form was used to document individuals leaving Newfoundland temporarily. It was similar to the C.I.9 issued by Canadian immigration authorities. There are no known examples. Out-registrations were recorded in ledger in called the Newfoundland Register of Arrivals and Outward Registrations. |
| C.I.10 | "Certificate Issued by the Government of the Dominion of Canada to [name], a Chinese Person About to Go to the United States" | Before 1911 - after 1911 | The C.I.10 was issued to Chinese persons wishing to visit the U.S. and return to Canada. Usually these persons were exempt from head tax. C.I.10s were issued only at Vancouver, Victoria and Ottawa. They recorded detailed identifying information for each individual. |
| C.I.11 | "Report of Chinese and Other Passengers Landed From or Reported at the Port of [name]" | Before 1911 - after 1911 | This was a statistical report of numbers of Chinese persons landed from steampships, according to class (e.g. exempt, head tax payers, C.I.9 returnees, etc.) |
| C.I.12 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| C.I.13 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| C.I.14 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| C.I.15 | C.I.5 register | Before 1911 - after 1911 | These were large registers of C.I.5 forms received and issued. |
| C.I.16 | "Requisition for Chinese Certificates" | In or before 1910 - after 1910 | This form was used to request blank C.I.5 certificate forms to be used for specific ship arrivals. The C.I.16 was used only at Vancouver and Victoria. |
| C.I.17 | Untitled | In or before 1910 - after 1910 | This was a "Confidential" form, used to record the results of an examination of a person claiming to be a merchant or other person exempt from paying head tax. |
| C.I.18 | "Form for Son's Examination" | Around 1910 - in order after 1921 | This was a "Confidential" form, used to record the results of an examination of a person claiming to be the son of a merchant or other person exempt from paying head tax. Various versions were used. |
| C.I.18 | "Form for Father's Examination" | Around 1910 - in order after 1921 | This was a "Confidential" form, used to record the results of an examination of a person claiming to be the parent of a merchant or other person exempt from paying head tax. Various versions were used. |
| C.I.19 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| C.I.20 | File jacket | In or after 1893 - 1911 | This was a file jacket or folder for the Chinese Immigration Service, issued by the Department of Trade and Commerce. |
| C.I.21 | Release certificate | In or before 1910 - after 1910 | This certificate released a Chinese person who had been detained and whose right to enter Canada had been established. |
| C.I.22 | "Report of Chinese Outwards" | In or before 1910 - after 1911 | A list of Chnese persons leaving Canada by ship who had passed across Canada in transit to and from foreign countries. It was submitted by the ship's master. |
| C.I.23 | "Special Chinese Manifest" | Unknown | This form listed Chinese persons travelling across Canada by train, in transit to another country. It was issued in accordance with R.S.C. 1906, c.95, s.7 and Chinese Immigration regulations. |
| C.I.24 | "Records of Chinese Exempts" | Before 1910 - after 1910 | This was a monthly report submitted by ports of entry which tabulated the numbers of different classes of exempt persons and overstays. |
| C.I.25 | Temporary head tax receipt | Unknown | A temporary receipt for payment of head tax. It was cancelled when the C.I.5 was issued. |
| C.I.26 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.27 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.29 | Untitled affadavit for application to replace lost C.I.5 | Around 1912 to around 1947 (?) | This affadavit provided detailed identifying information, as well as a photograph and references. It was used to support applications for C.I.28s, which replaced lost C.I.5s. |
| C.I.31 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.32 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.33 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.34 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.35 | Untitled application form for a C.I.36 certificate | Before 1916-after 1916 | This form was used to apply for a C.I.36 certificate, which was a substitute for C.I.5 certificates issued without photos. |
| C.I.37 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.38 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.39 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.40 | "Investigation Made Into the Standing as a Chinese Merchant of [name]" | Around 1911 - after 1914 | This form was used to document the investigation of persons claiming exemption from paying head tax based on the fact that they were a merchant. The form recorded names of partners, amounts invested, location and description of business premises, turnover, and merchandise. |
| C.I.41 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.43 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.47 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.48 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.49 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| C.I.50 | Untitled certificate issued to temporary Chinese visitors | After 1912 - around 1947 | This was issued to Chinese temporarily admitted to Canada by Minister's permit under the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, s.9. Those admitted included diplomats, merchants, servants, entertainers, doctors, teachers, scholars, clergymen, students and tourists. Two versions were used. |
| Immigration Forms | |||
| IMM. 30 | -- | Around 1947 - around 1951 | This form documented the entry of a Chinese person to Canada. It was placed in the individual's case file at Immigration headquarters. |
| IMM. 55B | "Application fo the Admission of Nominated Immigrants"[Chinese version] | Before 1961 - after 1963 | This was a special Chinese version of an application form for the admission of sponsored relatives. The form included detailed identifying and genealogical information. |
| IMM.637 | "Statutory Declaration" (Chinese Adjustment Statement) | (a) November 1962 - October 1964 (b) October 1964 - after 1965 |
This was a declaration of true family composition and identifying information. It was used by persons applying for status adjustment under the Chinese program. There were two versions. |
| IMM.638 | "Extract of Statement Made by the Honourable Richard Bell, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in the House of Commons on November 16, 1962" | November 1962 | The statement described revised status adjustment procedures, and was to be read and signed by applications. There were both Chinese and English versions on the sheet. |
| IMM.692 | "Chinese Family Tree" | 1964-around 1972 | This was a blank genealogical form used to record "tree" and "paper" names and family relationships in cases under investigation, for the purpose of indexing. |
| Miscellaneous Forms | |||
| NF.63 | Untitled Newfoundland Chinese immigration certificate | 1910-1930; 1949 | This certificate was probably similar to the Canadian C.I.5 certificate. It was issued to Chinese persons admitted to Newfoundland under it's Chinese Immigration Act of 1906. Certificate numbers are recorded in Newfoundland Register of Arrivals and Outward Registrations. |
Photo banner: Detail from VPL Historical Photograph 78362
