# The Surnames of the Chinese in America/Laborers
## Laborers.

It is necessary that every Chinese laborer residing within the United States shall have a proper certificate of residence.
Any registered Chinese laborer who has a lawful wife, child, or parent in the United States, or property therein of the value of 1,000, or debts of like amount due him and pending settlement, may depart from the United States and return on complying with the following conditions:
A Chinese registered laborer, claiming the right to be permitted to leave the United States and return thereto, shall apply in person to the officer of the Chinese Bureau in charge of the District in which he resides at least one month prior to his departure. He shall deposit with this officer his Certificate of Registration, and shall make on oath to the officer in charge, in writing, a full statement descriptive of his family, or property, or debts. He must fully describe himself—giving his family and given names, age, height, local residence, occupation, color of eyes, complexion, and distinguishing marks, if any, and the port in the United States from which he expects to depart. Such written description shall be filed in duplicate, and a photograph of applicant shall be permanently attached thereto. Photographs of applicant should be furnished, giving full front and profile views.
Such registered laborer must also furnish such proofs sustaining this application, either in the form of oral or written testimony, which shall satisfy the officer in charge.
​The right to return to the United States shall be exercised within one year from the date of departure: but such right to return may be extended for an additional period, not to exceed one year, in cases where, by reason of sickness or other cases of disability beyond his control, he has been unable sooner to return. These facts shall be fully reported to the Chinese Consul-General at the port of departure, and by him certified, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Immigration of the port at which such laborer shall land, accompanied by a certificate and report from the United States Consular officer at the foreign port at which said laborer embarked for the United States. This certificate and report must state that the Consular officer has investigated the statements of said laborer, and believes that he was unavoidably detained for the reason stated, and must precede the certificate and report of the Chinese Consul General.
$1,000 on term deposit in a bank; $1,000 worth of real or personal property; debts due to the amount of $1,000 and unsettled, and not promissory notes or other similar acknowledgment of ascertained liability, are just claims for a return certificate.
Ordinary ascertained bank accounts are debts due and owing. Open and running book accounts are now considered "pending settlement" and are held to be unascertained and unsettled, and both are just claims for a return certificate.
Chinese registered as merchants, and subsequently becoming laborers, cannot secure a return certificate as a laborer.
Chinese laborers who are visiting China may, not to exceed 100 days prior to their return, file a request with the Commissioner of Immigration at the port of their departure from the United States, that his status be inquired into. An investigation will be made, and if the status of his application remains the same as at the time of departure from the United States they will be notified and will be permitted to land immediately upon their return to the United States.

## 華工

凡居美國華工每湏取註合例册紙一張
凡經註册者若有合例之妻或女或子或父或母或實 業値銀一千元或未結妥之次數值艮一千元者准其由美回華由華返美
凡經註册之華工例准其由 美囘華由華返美者欲取護照限先一月到居住地方工商部處掛號須將其册紙繳存工商部按當並 寫明憑據或家眷或產業或欠項若干 一一能矢誓無虛並列明其之姓名年 歲身材高低住址工藝面目顔色以及 所有異相可認之記號並欲由美國某 港口出境等情繕備兩張每張貼其人 之原照正面與側面相頭各一
巳上 各憑據必湏其人自爲繕備以呈工商 部委員詳查
​凡經註册之華工帶有護照出境限一年内要復回美國如該華工遇有疾病或遇不能趨避之事阻滯 可將實情禀報日前出境處之華人領事官給回憑據照會管理外人入境委員展限一年該華工依期 回美時將其護照與駐中國美領事及駐美國華領事照會展限一年之憑據繳查明白自必准其登岸 復居美國
凡經註册之華工有銀一千員寄貯於銀行或有身家物業值銀一千員或有未結妥之欠 項銀一千員以及在銀行日逐進支之數存下未結妥者值銀一千員俱可作取華囘返美之護照憑據
凡照依一千八百九十二年 所成之例註册之華工可不 須再照依一千八百九十三 年補正之例註冊然後取囘 華返美護照
凡註冊之華商後來轉作華 工其不能取華工囘華返美 之護照
凡已執護照出境之華工欲 回美國若預早一百日内禀 知其日前出境處之管理外 人入境委員預爲查明至到 步時可即准登岸以免阻留