Joining a Native American tribe is a complex process that varies by tribe. To become a member, you must meet specific requirements and follow the unique enrollment procedures of each tribe, as well as pass the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) enrollment process.
To be eligible for tribal enrollment, an individual must have a direct lineal descent from a tribal member listed on a tribe’s base roll or final rolls. Additionally, an individual must have a degree of Indian blood equal to or greater than the degree of Indian blood of the base or final roll member. Tribal enrollment eligibility requirements can vary from tribe to tribe, so it is important to research the specific requirements for the tribe in which one is seeking enrollment.
After you have completed your genealogical research, documented your ancestry, and determined the tribe with which your ancestor was affiliated, you are ready to contact the tribe directly to obtain the criteria for membership. Contact info can be found in the Tribal Leaders Directory below.
The BIA enrollment process is designed to determine eligibility for tribal membership, which is necessary for accessing benefits and services provided by the federal government.
To enroll in a tribe, an individual must meet certain eligibility requirements, such as proof of Indian ancestry and the ability to provide a genealogy chart tracing their Indian ancestry back to a direct tribal ancestor using the CDIB application.
This, along with a certified copy of your birth certificate and any other proof, needs to be returned to the BIA office handling your tribe. All BIA Agency Offices are also listed in the Tribal Leaders Directory below.
Can you use DNA tests to prove tribal affiliation? Short answer - No.
Blood and DNA tests are widely used to determine the biological relationship between individuals.
These tests can help establish family connections and identify potential health risks. However, blood and DNA tests hold limited value when it comes to documenting an individual’s descent from a specific federally recognized tribe or tribal community.
While blood tests and DNA tests are insufficient to document descent from a specific federally recognized tribe or tribal community, they can help individuals determine if they have biological ties to a particular tribe.
"When establishing descent from an Indian tribe for membership and enrollment purposes, the individual must provide genealogical documentation.
The documentation must prove that the individual lineally descends from an ancestor who was a member of the federally recognized tribe from which the individual claims descent.”
