Discover Our Past at the National Archives at San Francisco

The National Archives at San Francisco is one of 15 research facilities nationwide where the public can access Federal archival records in person. Our holdings total over 77,000 cubic feet of historical records dating from the 1850s to the 2000s, created by more than 100 Federal agencies and courts in northern and central California, Nevada (except for Clark County), Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the American Territories.

One of Al Capone's Mudshots

Our holdings are a major primary resource for the study of Asian-Pacific immigration, environmental and natural history, naval and military activity in the Pacific, the Native American experience, and many other aspects of United States history. Famous documents include after-action reports following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Alcatraz inmate case file of Alphonse “Al” Capone, the immigration case file of Sun Yat-sen, and Federal court cases on the constitutionality of internment during World War II.

One especially useful record for historians and genealogists are the Alien Files or “A Files.” Because of strong interest and advocacy for the A files by local research communities and their congressional representatives, the National Archives at San Francisco holds many A Files controlled by INS district offices located in San Francisco and Honolulu.

Created by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) beginning in 1944, A Files contain all records of any active case of an alien not yet naturalized as they passed through the United States immigration and inspection process. An A File might also be created without any action taken by the alien; for example, if the INS initiated a law enforcement action against or involving the alien.

An example of an Alien Registration Form from the file of Leonardo Greco 

A rich source of biographical information, A Files may include visas, photographs, affidavits, and correspondence leading up to an alien's naturalization, permanent residency, or deportation. Early A Files contain the Alien Registration Form (Form AR 2) which provides the name, address, date/place of birth, physical description, occupation, employer, and a statement of military service of the alien.

Some A Files contain records consolidated from the older immigration case file series currently open for public research at the National Archives at San Francisco. The quantity and type of information vary significantly between individual files.

We’ll have examples of the kind of documents you can find in A Files on display at the Archives Crawl. Come visit us at the California Historical Society!