Enrollment for Descendants and Missed Enrollees
Enrollment Starts 2026
At the 2025 Annual Meeting, shareholders achieved a historic milestone for the corporation by approving the resolution to open enrollment for lineal descendants and missed enrollees. As a result, BSNC’s Restated Articles of Incorporation were amended to allow issuance of Class C stock to lineal descendants of an original shareholder of BSNC born after December 18, 1971, as well as Class D stock to Natives alive on such date who were eligible for enrollment in BSNC, but did not enroll.
BSNC is thoughtfully finalizing the enrollment process to create a reliable and lasting system that will serve future generations of shareholders. This work requires careful planning and due diligence to ensure accuracy, compliance, and efficiency. Updates will be shared on this webpage and through shareholder communications as progress continues.
Eligible individuals are encouraged to begin gathering the required documents so they are prepared for enrollment in 2026. A list of required documents, along with information on how to obtain them, is provided below.
Enrollment Timeline
2025-2026: Enrollment procedures finalized, and application materials developed.
Mid-2026: Enrollment opens for descendants and missed enrollees.
Late 2026: Official enrollment review and approvals begin.
Jan. 2027: New shares are issued.
Eligibility Criteria
Class C: Descendants
To qualify for 50 shares of life-estate Class C stock, individuals must be able to answer “yes” to all the following:
- I am a lineal descendant by birth or adoption (before age 18) of an original shareholder who received shares directly from BSNC.
- I am a U.S. citizen.
- I was born after December 18, 1971.
- I am not enrolled in another ANCSA regional corporation; however, I may own shares in another regional corporation through gift or inheritance.
Class D: Missed Enrollees
To qualify for 100 shares of Class D stock, individuals must be able to answer “yes” to all the following:
- I was born on or before December 18, 1971.
- I am/was a resident of, or have birth or adopted family ties to, the BSNC region.
- I am a U.S. citizen.
- I have at least one-quarter (¼) Alaska Native blood quantum.
- I have not enrolled as an Original or Missed Enrollee shareholder in BSNC or another ANCSA regional corporation; however, I may own shares in another regional corporation through gift or inheritance.
Enrollment Documents
BSNC will begin enrolling descendants and missed enrollees in 2026. To ensure the process goes smoothly, eligible individuals should begin gathering the required verification documents listed below. Please do not send any documentation to BSNC until the enrollment process has been opened.
Required Documents
Proof of Legal Name (1 required)
- Original or certified copy of birth certificate
- Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB/CIB) issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Certified Tribal ID Card from a federally recognized tribe
- Driver’s license or identification card issued by a U.S. state, jurisdiction, or territory
- Social Security card
- U.S. or foreign passport
- U.S. Military ID, Military Dependent ID, or Veteran’s ID
If your current legal name is different from the name listed on your birth certificate or other documents, you must also provide proof of legal name change, such as:
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce or dissolution decree
- Name change court order
- Adoption decree or court order
Proof of Date of Birth (1 required)
- Original or certified copy of birth certificate
- CDIB/CIB issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Certified affidavit of birth showing birth date
- Early public records listing date of birth
Proof of U.S. Citizenship (1 required)
- Original or certified copy of birth certificate showing birth in the U.S.
- U.S. passport
- Certificate of citizenship
- Early public records showing U.S. birth (e.g., census or baptism record)
Additional Requirement for Emancipated Minors
- If you are an emancipated minor, you must also provide:
- Court document authorizing emancipation or
- Marriage certificate
Class C Additional Requirements
Proof of Lineal Descent from an Original BSNC Shareholder (1 or more required)
- Date of birth and last four of the social security number of the original shareholder you are a lineal descendant of
- Original or certified birth certificate(s) identifying the applicant and one natural parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who is/was an original shareholder or a descendant of one
- Certified Tribal affidavit identifying and certifying the applicant’s relationship to a natural or adoptive parent who is/was an original shareholder or descendant
- Adoption papers, an affidavit of cultural adoption from the tribal council or appropriate entity, or a tribal resolution
Class D Additional Requirements
Proof of Ties to the BSNC Region and/or Lineal Descent (1 or more required)
- Original or certified birth certificate showing birthplace in the BSNC region or identifying lineal descent from a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent from the region
- Certified affidavit verifying that the applicant:
- Resided in the BSNC region on April 1, 1970, or
- Resided in the region for ten or more years before the 1970 census, or
- Identifies lineal descent from a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent from the region
- Adoption papers identifying lineal ties to the BSNC region
Proof of ¼+ Alaska Native Blood Quantum (1 required)
- CDIB/CIB issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
- If no CDIB/CIB, a certified affidavit signed by a Bering Strait region Tribe or Village Corporation leader confirming that the individual or their parent is/was regarded as Alaska Native.
Obtainment of Records
If you do not currently have your required personal or supporting documents, you may request certified copies from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state where you were born. For individuals born, married, or divorced in Alaska, records can be ordered online through the State of Alaska’s Vital Records system (Vital Records Orders | State of Alaska | Department of Health) or via VitalChek (VitalChek.com) for faster processing. If you need records from another state, please visit the National Center for Health Statistics website to locate the correct state office, or use VitalChek.com to order records quickly and securely.
For more information about obtaining a certified birth certificate for a person born in Alaska, in Anchorage, call (907) 269-0991 or visit the Bureau of Vital Statistics at 3901 Old Seward Hwy, Ste 101, Anchorage, AK 99503. In Juneau, call (907) 465-3391 or visit 5441 Commercial Boulevard.
To inquire about certified copies of birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificates, email the Records Processing Unit at BVSOffice@alaska.gov. Please allow 3 – 5 business days for a response.
If you have any additional questions, please email comms@bsnc.net or call (907) 563-3788.
BSNC will begin enrolling descendants and missed enrollees in 2026. To ensure the process goes smoothly, eligible individuals should begin gathering the required verification documents listed below. Please do not send any documentation to BSNC until the enrollment process has been opened.
FAQs
When can I apply for Class C and D shares?
BSNC will begin enrolling shareholders in 2026. When shares are issued beginning in 2027, shareholders will be notified through BSNC’s communications channels.
Who is eligible for Class C (Descendant) shares?
Lineal descendants (U.S. citizens) such as children, grandchildren, and so on are eligible. This includes individuals who are the natural or legally adopted (before age 18) children of original BSNC shareholders and their descendants. Individuals must not be shareholders of another Alaska Native regional corporation, unless they inherited or were gifted those shares.
Who is eligible for Class D (Missed Enrollee) shares?
Class D shares are for individuals who were eligible to be original shareholders in 1971 but were not enrolled at that time. To qualify, an applicant must be able to answer yes to all of the following:
- I was born on or before December 18, 1971.
- I am a U.S. citizen.
- I have at least one-quarter (¼) Alaska Native blood quantum.
- I was a resident of, or have birth or adopted family ties to, the BSNC region.
- I have not been enrolled as an Original or Missed Enrollee in BSNC or any other ANCSA Regional Corporation.
If you meet all of these requirements, you may be eligible to apply for Class D shares once the enrollment process opens.
Are 13th Regional shareholders eligible?
BSNC cannot enroll original shareholders from the 13th Regional Corporation. BSNC remains committed to honoring the original intent of ANCSA, which is to allow enrollment in only one Alaska Native regional corporation.
When will Class C and D shareholders be eligible for their first dividend distributions?
The first dividend distributions will be determined in 2027.
Which ANCSA Regional Corporations have opened enrollment to descendants?
ANCSA Regional Corporations that have issued shares to descendants of their corporation include: Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (1990); NANA Regional Corporation, Inc. (1991); Doyon, Limited (1992); Sealaska Corporation (2007); Ahtna, Incorporated (2008); and Calista Corporation (2017). In 2025, Bering Straits Native Corporation, Bristol Bay Native Corporation and Chugach Alaska Corporation shareholders voted at their annual meetings to approve descendant enrollment as well.
My relative would have been considered a missed enrollee but passed away before being able to enroll. Can they be recognized as a missed enrollee?
Unfortunately, missed enrollees must be living at the time of enrollment to receive Class D shares. If your relative passed away before the enrollment period, they cannot be retroactively recognized as a missed enrollee.
Where do I obtain my Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood for Class D Shares?
The Certificates of Degree of Indian Blood are issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Access the most recent version of the Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood request form here. For additional information, go to Tribal Operations | Indian Affairs. If you have any questions, please contact:
Anchorage Enrollment Services, (907) 271-4477, akenrollment@bia.gov
Fairbanks Enrollment Services, (907) 456-0522, Click here for Fairbanks Enrollment Information
Juneau Enrollment Services, (907) 586-7719, Click here for Juneau Enrollment Information
Sarah Walker, Tribal Government Officer, (907) 271-4506, Sarah.Walker@bia.gov
Note: In order for the U.S. Secretary of Interior to issue a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood, an applicant is required to show a relationship to an individual listed on an Indian census roll, tribal base roll, Indian judgment fund distribution roll (Roll) that includes Indian blood degrees, or other document prepared and approved by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) or his/her authorized representative.