New Membership Application

Applications are reviewed in the order we receive them. The time it takes to process depends on how many applications are ahead of yours. For more information on the process, please refer to “What happens after I apply?”

After you apply, we will review your information to confirm your identity and check your documents to see if you are biologically related to someone already enrolled. If we need more information to confirm your identity or family connection, we will contact you using the phone number or email you listed on your application.

We strongly encourage you to submit all required documents with your application to help speed up the review process. If you do not have any established members in your family line, you must provide primary birth records or other official documents that connect you to each person in your lineage up to a registered Choctaw tribal member. If you do have an established member, we only require documents that prove your biological connection to that individual.

If any necessary documents are missing during the review, we will contact you to request the specific items needed.

We require certain records proving your identity and biological connection to a Choctaw enrollee to process your application. The most important document is the primary birth record, which confirms identity and biological lineage up to your closest established Choctaw ancestor. However, other documents may be needed if the birth certificate does not meet requirements or if changes have occurred.

Additional documents for identity may include:

• Social Security verification must have the applicant’s name and full social security number such as, but not limited to:
  • Social Security card
  • W-2 form
  • SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S
  • Medicare Card
  • Tax Return
  • Employment Records
  • Credit Reports
  • Social Security Benefit Letter
• Legal documents used to establish the legal name must be officially filed with a court, including a final ruling or order, and stamped by the court and/or signed by a judge. Examples include but not limited to:
  • Certified Adoption Certification
  • Petition to Adoption
  • Final Divorce Decree
• A marriage license can be used to establish a married last name change.
• Please note: Military records or school records can explain differences in names across time but are not an acceptable form of establishing a legal name.

Additional documents for establishing biological lineage may include:

• DNA results when there is a 95% or more match to a Choctaw parent. The DNA must be received directly from an AABB Accredited Facility listing the biological parent(s).
• Legal documents used to establish the legal name must be officially filed with a court, including a final ruling or order, and stamped by the court and/or signed by a judge. Examples include but not limited to:
  • Certified Adoption Certification
  • Petition to Adoption
  • Final Divorce Decree
  • Custody Papers
• Medical records for unique situations, like in vitro fertilization, if voluntarily provided.
• Historical documents including, but not limited to, Dawes Commission records, Proof of Heirship, census reports, or death certificates may help confirm your family’s connection to an original enrollee, child, or grandchild of an enrollee.

Start by asking family members if they already have copies of the documents you need. Many families keep birth, death, or other records on hand that can help complete your application.

If the documents are not available through family, you can request official copies directly from the state where the birth or death occurred.

For a list of acceptable documents, please refer to our questions: “How do I apply for membership?” or “What additional documents might be required or provided?” This will help you request the correct record type for your application.

We can only accept the original certified birth certificate. To ensure your original birth certificate is acceptable, it must meet one of the following formats:

• U.S. Birth Certificate – Accepted if it meets each of the following criteria:
  • Issued by the city, county, or state where the applicant was born
  • Filed with the state registrar within one year of birth and includes a state file number
  • Has a visible seal or stamp from the issuing office
  • Signed by the registrar
  • Shows a watermark or security features (may vary by state)
  • Lists the full names of Choctaw biological parent(s)
  • Lists the applicant’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) – Accepted if it meets the following:
  • Is issued by the U.S. Department of State
  • Lists the full names of biological parent(s)
  • Lists the applicant’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender
• Foreign Birth Certificate – Accepted if it meets the following:
  • A foreign government agency issued it
  • Includes an English translation
  • Lists the full names of Choctaw biological parent(s)
  • Lists the applicant’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender
• Delayed Certificate of Birth – Accepted if it meets the following:
  • Issued within 10 years of the date of birth
  • Lists the records or documents used to create it
  • Lists the full names of Choctaw biological parent(s)
  • Lists the applicant’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender
  • Issued by the State Commissioner of Health or signed by a birth attendant

Note: If the birth record shows signs of amendments (such as name or parent information changes), additional documentation may be required to verify the accuracy and original details of the record.

After the application has been processed, the original documents will be sent by certified mail back to the mailing address listed on the application. Please note, the Choctaw Nation is not responsible for original documents lost in the mail.