Old Passports for immigrants

[Darig]

Hello Everybody,

I will like to know which authority used to issued to passports in the years 1850 - 1870, as far as I know the immigrants had passports (I see a couple of them) like we have now, therefore somewhere should be files of this passports ... specifically in the area of Genova.

Please let me know guys !!!

Regards,

Darig

[VaDeb]

Hi,

The folowing information comes from Italian Genealogical Records by Tafford Cole.

pg 161
Passport records are one of the most difficult sources to research. The records are kept in the archive of the questura and are not open for public consultation. You can make a written request to the prefettura (district attorney's office) of the province of origin. To date, however, I have had no sucess in otaining passport records that predate the beginning of the twentieth century from this source. Some of the older passport records have been placed in state archives and are listed under polizia (police) or questura.

Seems like a tough avenue. What information are you looking for? Perhaps someone can suggest another source.

[suanj]

In Italy, especially in years of GREAT EMIGRATION, normally was the cumulative passports( for all family members and to name of head family) or single passport... in some State's Archive are some copy of passport, and also in some Common's Archive, but is very rare... In Italy the wars destroyeds many documents... In Genova State's Archive no are the passport documents.. suanj