Immigration question

[daisy20]

Hi, according to my Great Grandfather's military record, he requested a passport in 1896 to come to NY. Does that mean he would not be listed in the Ellis island records because he had a passport?

Also, he may have made several trips over from Italy to America, does that mean he would have to come through Ellis Island every trip?

I'd appreciate any information someone could give me.

Christine

[erudita74]

Ellis Island did not open until 1892. Prior to that there was Castle Garden.

http://www.castlegarden.org/

[bbivona]

The Italian passport would have been primarily for emigration purposes, so he could leave. It was mainly to prove to the Italian government that he wasn't leaving to avoid mandatory military service or to avoid court proceedings. In order to leave an Italian port, he would have had to leave with an Italian passport. If he couldn't get one, an Italian might have made his way by land to another country and sailed from Le Havre, Antwerp, or Hamburg, and could have still entered the U.S. legally. There was no passport requirement for entry to the U.S., and having one wouldn't have meant he bypassed immigration processing.

While Ellis Island was easily the biggest center, you could also immigrate at Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans and Galveston (and maybe some other spots). I have relatives who entered at Ellis Island on some trips and other trips entered at New Orleans. Ellis Island and Castle Garden would likely be where he came each time if he were going to New York each time.