Chinese Immigration Case Files at NARA in Perris, CA

[chinesefishermen]

Hello,
I want to share exciting information.  The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, Save Our Chinatown Committee, and San Bernardino State University have formed a partnership with the National Archives (NARA) in Perris California to digitize Chinese
Immigration Case Files. We plan to digitize all Case Files held in Perris, and they will be uploaded onto the NARA website. Interns from San Bernardino State University started digitizing the files in November.  The first upload will contain Bakersfield and Nogales files, and should be available around April.  All files will be crowd sourced so the data can be tagged.  Please let us know if you would like more information.  

Linda 

[FayChee]

Hi Linda,
I am definitely interested! My dad immigrated thru California in 1909 and although I have some of his immigration records, I would like to see if there are more, and perhaps I can see if there were other relatives. I heard that his sister came here, cousins, possibly his dad and my step-sister.

What years will this cover?

Fay Chee

[chinesefishermen]

Hi Fay,
Thank you for your message. Chinese case files from several regions of Southern California are held at NARA Perris. While this it is not an exact science, from what I understand files from Bakersfield south to Calexico and Nogales, are in Perris. Northern California files, and partnership files, are in NARA San Bruno. We have been allowed to make these files public because they are older than 75 years. The earliest files that I have seen are from 1890.

Linda

[mailon]

Hi Linda, Are the Bakersfield files posted on NARA yet? I am a volunteer archivist, and I don't see the Bakersfield files posted? Also, I know they are working on Los Angeles files, those are posted for tagging and transcribing. When will the San Diego files be ready for viewing? Most of my ancestors are in the San Diego files. I'm particularly interested in getting the Ah Quin family files posted on NARA. Thank you. Cyndie Quin-Soo