National Archives Passenger Arrival Records
Guidance for tracing U.S. arrivals through federal passenger manifests.
This National Archives guide explains how to locate U.S. passenger arrival records for people entering from foreign ports, mainly from 1820 through 1982 with known gaps. It covers what details manifests may contain, where records are held, how to request copies, and when to use partner genealogy sites, FOIA, or USCIS instead.
Why it stands out
- Official federal source for understanding which U.S. passenger arrival records NARA actually holds.
- Clearly separates public records from records restricted by the 75-year access rule.
- Explains the post-1957 microfilm situation and why some records are not immediately accessible.
- Connects researchers to partner digitization sites while noting which access options are free or subscription-based.
- Includes edge-case guidance for rare pre-1820 federal passenger list holdings.
Good to know
- Coverage is incomplete, with gaps across the 1820–1982 record span.
- NARA does not hold airport arrival/departure records from 1970 onward.
- Arrival records less than 75 years old require FOIA access because of personal information restrictions.
- Post-1957 requests require very specific details such as exact arrival date, port or airport, carrier, and flight number when applicable.
Under the radar: If a needed Ancestry or Fold3 collection is behind a subscription, try accessing it from a National Archives research room or Presidential Library, where the page notes those services are available free onsite.
Photos
Genealogists researching immigrant ancestors can identify the right port, date range, and record source for passenger manifests. Check what biographical details may appear in a ship or air arrival record. Find out whether a post-1957 arrival requires a FOIA request. Determine when records may be available through FamilySearch, Ancestry, Fold3, the National Archives Catalog, or USCIS. Prepare the required information before ordering a copy of an arrival record.
Record coverage notes by time period, guidance on ordering inbound manifests, FOIA instructions for restricted records, explanations of pre-1820 exceptions, links to digitized partner collections, and pointers to USCIS for later arrival documentation and A-Files.
Alternative listings
Free passenger-arrival records for tracing U.S. immigrant ancestors.
Genealogy & family-history researchThe Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Foundation provides an online search tool for historical U.S. arrival records, including Ellis Island and other ports of entry. The collection is aimed at family-history research and covers records from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, with supporting guidance for interpreting immigrant names and search results.
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Similar sites elsewhere
- FamilySearch — familysearch.org
- Ancestry — ancestry.com
- Fold3 — fold3.com
- Ellis Island Passenger Search — libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger
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