Appendix A
Chinese Immigration Certificates
The following is a provisional list of Chinese Immigration certificates used throughout the years of the Chinese Immigration Act (1885–1947). It is compiled by the Vancouver Public Library and is drawn from a provisional list drafted by Library and Archives Canada in 1987.
| Form number | Title of description | Dates in use | Purpose and contents |
| CI certificates | |||
| CI 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. |
| CI 2 | “Bill of Health” | Before 1911 – after 1911 | This certified good health on vessels bringing Chinese passengers into port. The certification was made by port quarantine officers. |
| CI 3 | “Controller’s Warrant for the Landing of Chinese Immigrants” | Before 1911 – after 1911 | This authorized a ship master to land Chinese immigrants. |
| CI 7 | Unknown | (?) – before 1911 | Unknown |
| CI 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. |
| CI 9 (Nfld.) | Out-registration certificate | 1906–1950 | This form was used to document individuals leaving Newfoundland temporarily. It was similar to the CI 9 issued by Canadian immigration authorities. There are no known examples. Out-registrations were recorded in a ledger called the Newfoundland Register of Arrivals and Outward Registrations. |
| CI 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 CI 10 was issued to Chinese persons wishing to visit the US and return to Canada. Usually these persons were exempt from head tax. CI 10s were issued only at Vancouver, Victoria, and Ottawa. They recorded detailed identifying information for each individual. |
| CI 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 steamships, according to class (e.g., exempt, head tax payers, CI 9 returnees, etc.) |
| CI 12 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| CI 13 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| CI 14 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| CI 15 | CI 5 register | Before 1911 – after 1911 | These were large registers of CI 5 forms received and issued. |
| CI 16 | “Requisition for Chinese Certificates” | In or before 1910 – after 1910 | This form was used to request blank CI 5 certificate forms to be used for specific ship arrivals. The CI 16 was used only at Vancouver and Victoria. |
| CI 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. |
| CI 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. |
| CI 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. |
| CI 19 | Unknown | Ceased before 1911 | Unknown |
| CI 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. |
| CI 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. |
| CI 22 | “Report of Chinese Outwards” | In or before 1910 – after 1911 | A list of Chinese persons leaving Canada by ship who had passed across Canada in transit to and from foreign countries. It was submitted by the shipmaster. |
| CI 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. |
| CI 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. |
| CI 25 | Temporary head tax receipt | Unknown | A temporary receipt for payment of head tax. It was cancelled when the CI 5 was issued. |
| CI 26 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 27 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 29 | Untitled affadavit for application to replace lost CI 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 CI 28s, which replaced lost CI 5s. |
| CI 31 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 32 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 33 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 34 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 35 | Untitled application form for a CI 36 certificate | Before 1916 – after 1916 | This form was used to apply for a CI 36 certificate, which was a substitute for CI 5 certificates issued without photos. |
| CI 37 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 38 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 39 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 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. |
| CI 41 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 43 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 47 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 48 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 49 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| CI 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. |
Source: “Chinese Immigration Certificates.” Vancouver Public Library. http://guides.vpl.ca/ccg/ChineseImmigrationCertificates.
