Daily AncestorQuota
Quota refers to the national origins quota system of 1921 and 1924, which capped yearly immigration from each country; records mark people quota or nonquota.
The Immigration Acts of 1921 and 1924 limited immigration by number for the first time, giving each nationality a quota based on its share in past census figures. The State Department handed out a limited number of visas through consulates abroad, and only immigrants with a valid visa were admitted.
Visa files and later arrival records note the quota country charged and whether the person came as a quota or nonquota immigrant.
As seen in a recordCard manifest, 1929
Quota country charged: Poland. Immigration visa issued Warsaw, 1929
Sources
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Daily Ancestor. "Quota." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/immigration/quota. Last checked 2026-10-03.