Documents & Records

C.I. 5 Certificate (Head Tax)

Basics

The head tax was introduced in 1885, as a means of controlling Chinese immigration. Immigrants paying the head tax were issued with a receipt by immigration officials, also known as a C.I.5 certificate. The C.I.5 certified that the head tax had been paid and the C.I.4 form completed. The form was in use from 1885-1949. At least four slightly different versions were issued.

The C.I.5 certificate initially did not include a photograph. Later, it was felt to be inadequate for identification purposes, and was re-drafted in 1912. When deemed necessary, people with pre-1912 head tax certificates that did not have photographs were issued with a substitute C.I.36 certificate.

Families that have retained copies of head tax certificates issued to their immigrant ancestors will find it a very useful link to Immigration Records.

Front

The following transcription represents information found on head tax certificates, based on a 1919 example:

[Certificate number]	C.I. 5 Series
Dominion of Canada Immigration Branch - Department of the Interior
[Name] whose photograph is attached hereto, on the date and at the place hereunder mentioned, the sum of Five Hundred Dollars being the head tax due under the provisions of the Chinese Immigration Act. The above mentioned party who claims to be a native of [City or Village ]in the [District] of [Name] of the age of [number] years who arrived or landed at [port of entry] on the [--] day of [month] 19 [--] on [name of vessel or other conveyance]. The declaration in this case is C.I.4 No. [----]. Dated at [port of arrival] on [day and month] 19[--]
	[Signature] Controller of Chinese Immigration

Back

In 1923, after passage of the Chinese Immigration Act, C.I.5 certificates were stamped on the back in accordance with Section 18, which required the registration of all Chinese people living in Canada.

Finding the Records

C.I.5 certificates were issued to individuals, and have often remained in possession of families. Examples are found in several archival repositories, and several are included on the first part of Library and Archives Canada microfilm C-13421, together with other examples of Chinese Immigration Certificates. The C.I.5 examples include:

C.I. 5 Certificates

Certificate No.	Name	Date
21942	Set Cheung Jar	1899
23333	Jung Hang	1899
35103	Pan[g?] Hong	1902
39445	Lok King Chun	1903
48837	Jung Gin	1908
62345	Wing Sum	1911
72304	Lau Shong [or Shing]	1912
78146	Chan Ling Gong	1913
78742	Lee Shing Dok	1913
86638	Jung Song Gee	1918
87231	Lee Mee Yew	1914
88103	Jung Bak Fun	1919
[90618]	[receipt for certificate of] Gin Wing Hock	[1952]
91958	Chin Kwock Gong	1922

Use the online inter-library loan form to borrow microfilm reel C-13421 from Library and Archives Canada.

Related records include:

All of the above records document C.I.5 numbers.

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