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A ship manifest (passenger list) is a document recording the arrival of a ship's passengers at a port, used in CBD cases to document the ancestor's emigration.
In depth
A ship manifest (also called a passenger list or passenger arrival record) is a document recording the arrival of a ship's passengers at a port of entry. It includes each passenger's name, age, nationality, last residence, destination, and other details.
For CBD cases, ship manifests document the ancestor's emigration from their country of origin and arrival in the destination country. They can establish: (1) the date of emigration, (2) the port of departure (which can help locate records in the country of origin), and (3) the ancestor's nationality at the time of arrival.
Ship manifests for US arrivals are held by NARA and available online through Ancestry, FamilySearch, and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. Manifests for other countries are held by their respective national archives.
Related terms
NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) is the US national archives, holding federal court naturalization records and other documents relevant to CBD cases.
A naturalization record is a government document certifying that a person acquired citizenship by naturalization, critical for CBD cases to determine if the citizenship chain was broken.
A long-form birth certificate is a detailed birth certificate that includes the child's and parents' full information, required for most CBD applications.
A short-form birth certificate is a simplified birth certificate showing only the child's basic information, typically not accepted for CBD applications.
A certified copy is a copy of a document that has been verified as a true and accurate copy by the issuing authority, typically required for CBD applications.
A vital record is a government-recorded document that certifies a vital event — birth, marriage, divorce, or death — and is the primary evidence in CBD cases.