A cousin of mine sent me copies of documents she found in her father's house, including my 3rd great-grandmother's Italian passport, or so it appears to be. My 3rd great-grandmother immigrated to the US in early 1888 with her two children to join her husband, my 3rd great-grandfather. In addition, among the documents was a copy of a handwritten birth record for my 3rd great-grandfather requested in 1886, the same year (probably not coincidentally) he immigrated to the US.
If it matters, she was from Picerno, Potenza and he was from Ariano Irpino, Avellino, but they were living in Picerno at the time he left. Also, on the passenger manifest, he was listed as being from Vallo. That might've been an error or I might have the wrong man, but all the details (except Vallo) fit.
I've translated a fair bit, but I am interested in the historical context. So far I haven't had much luck asking around different forums. On Family Search I read that passports at the time might be required to move within Italy, but were they required to leave the country? Did my 3rd great-grandfather request his birth record to emigrate?
Passport Page 1 http://imgur.com/a/KpBdK
Passport Page 2 http://imgur.com/a/beRfe
Birth Record Page 1 http://imgur.com/a/JcHq6
Birth Record Page 2 http://imgur.com/a/essgc
Thank you for your help and any insight you can provide.
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