The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR) established the CIS Research Project following the collapse of the communist system in the former Soviet Union. This initiative aimed to explore the extensive historical, cultural, and heritage information of Germans from Russia that became accessible after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The project initially focused on identifying and prioritizing the acquisition of relevant documents across the former Soviet republics. Supported by contributions from AHSGR members, the project has successfully acquired numerous archival documents. The report highlights the archival value of the Exit Passports and Marriage Lists, and 1767 and 1798 census. The Exit Passports provide a glimpse into the process through which the colonists had to go in order to leave Rus­sia in the 1870s. On the other end of the spectrum, the Ger­man marriage lists provide a glimpse into the process through which the colonists left what we today call Germany more than 110 years earlier. The 1767 and 1798 censuses capture a moment in the lives of the colonists while they were living in Russia.