The Chinese Australian Family Historians of Victoria (CAFHOV) have led a project to create a searchable database of the National Archives of Australia’s Victorian Registers of Certificates Exempting from the Dictation Test (CEDT). Between 1904 and 1959 customs officials recorded the names, ages, nationalities, occupations, residences and travel details of Chinese (and some Indian and Syrian) Victorians who travelled overseas under a certificate that exempted them from sitting the notorious dictation test on their return – otherwise known as a CEDT. These registers contain a wealth of information for genealogists.

Terry Young (CAFHOV) and I will be giving an online presentation about CEDTs, the Registers and more about how the online Index created by CAFHOV can be used to undercover their genealogical secrets!

Geneaological Society of Victoria, 20 July 2021, 7-8pm, Bookings required here.