The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) kept a variety of records at numerous ports at different times. To locate an immigrant arrival record, it is important to know not only the immigrant's specific Port of Entry, or POE, but also where that POE's records were filed. Some records were filed only at the actual POE, others were filed far from the POE, and still others were duplicated and filed in more than one location.

During the 1940's and 1950's, the INS microfilmed all its immigrant arrival records at all POE's, then gave copies of the microfilm to the National Archives (NARA). In this process the INS created an inventory of what records existed for what ports, and for what years. This document is a compilation of those inventories and transfer documents, and remains SUBJECT TO REVISION AND CORRECTION.

Published vs. Unpublished Microfilm:

After receiving microfilm copies of INS immigrant arrival records, the National Archives published the records for the largest and most important POE's. Whenever possible, the National Archives microfilm publication number is included for each set of published records. If a record set has no NARA microfilm publication number, that entry is either not yet published or it's publication status was undetermined. Some NARA microfilm publication numbers include question marks, indicating some question as to whether or not the record set appears in that publication.

As a result of INS' duplication of records, an immigrant's arrival may be found in the published records of another port. For example, arrivals at Buffalo, New York, were recorded in the published St. Albans lists (M1461) from 1902 to 1927. Buffalo arrivals after 1927 were not duplicated, and so remain unpublished.