Puerto Rico Emigration and Immigration

Online Records

Emigration and Immigration

• Puerto Rico, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1901-1962, Ancestry.com, ($), index and browsable images.
• Extranjeros (Foreigners in Puerto Rico), ca 1807-1880
• Puerto Rico, records of foreign residents (Puerto Rico, registros de extranjeros, 1815-1845, images
• Emigrados, 1816-1837, images

Naturalization and Citizenship Records

• Puerto Rico Records of Foreign Residents, 1815-1845, Images. Also at Ancestry.com, ($), images.
• Pasaportes (Passports), 1795-1889, images.
• Declaraciones de naturalización (Naturalization Records), 1899-1900, images
• Puerto Rico, naturalization records, 1900-1981, images

Migration Patterns

Puerto Ricans are by law citizens of the United States and may move freely between the island and the mainland. Puerto Ricans "were collectively made U.S. citizens" in 1917 as a result of the Jones-Shafroth Act. Therefore, a Puerto Rican person moving to the United States will not have a naturalization record because they are already citizens.

Emigration is a major part of contemporary Puerto Rican history. Starting soon after World War II, poverty, cheap airfares, and promotion by the island government caused waves of Puerto Ricans to move to the United States, particularly to the Northeastern states, and Florida. This trend continued even as Puerto Rico's economy improved and its birth rate declined. Puerto Ricans continue to follow a pattern of "circular migration", with some migrants returning to the island. Source: Wikipedia

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