Enrollment for Descendants and Missed Enrollees
Enrollment is Open
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.
Enroll Today!
Applying is simple:
- Create or log in to your MyBSNC account at shareholder.bsnc.net/enrollment (a valid email address is required)
- Complete the application and upload required documents
- Click Save to submit your application
We anticipate a large volume of applications and encourage eligible individuals to apply when they are ready. There is no deadline, and applications will continue to be accepted in the months leading up to the anticipated issuance of the first new shares in early 2027. Parents are encouraged to complete their applications prior to beginning applications for their children to assist with establishing lineage to an original shareholder.
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Enrollment Timeline
2025-2026: Enrollment procedures finalized, and application materials developed.
June 2026: Enrollment opens for descendants and missed enrollees.
Late 2026: Official enrollment review and approvals begin.
Early 2027: New shares are issued to approved applicants, and newly enrolled shareholders become eligible to participate in shareholder voting.
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 application 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 Documents
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 enroll@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 or D shares?
BSNC will begin enrolling shareholders in 2026. When shares are issued beginning in 2027, new enrollees 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 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.
How many shares will newly enrolled descendants receive?
New descendant enrollees will receive 50 life-estate shares upon enrollment after January 1, 2027.
Why 50 shares?
Since BSNC’s inception, many original shareholders have chosen to gift their shares to descendants or family members, thereby naturally redistributing shares over time. This has allowed families to maintain involvement and connection with the corporation across generations.
Issuing 50 shares to new descendant enrollees is designed to strike a balance between welcoming descendants into BSNC and maintaining the overall structure of shareholder ownership. While new enrollees will receive 50 shares, it’s important to note that the process of gifting shares means that many current original shareholders already hold fewer than the original number of shares issued at the time of ANCSA.
Will there be a blood quantum requirement to enroll and receive descendant shares?
No, there will not be a blood quantum requirement for descendant enrollees.
Will there be an age restriction on new descendant enrollees?
No. All lineal descendants of original shareholders can enroll, as long as they are not enrolled in another Alaska Native regional native corporation.
If a lineal descendant was adopted out, are they eligible for enrollment?
Yes, if they were adopted before the age of majority (18). Lineal descendants who were adopted out will need to provide documentation that shows proof of familial relation.
Are those adopted into shareholder families eligible for enrollment?
Yes, if they were adopted before the age of majority (18). Lineal descendants who were adopted will need to provide documentation that shows proof of familial relation.
If a lineal descendant has inherited or been gifted shares, are they still eligible for open enrollment?
Yes. As long as the individual has not enrolled in another Alaska Native regional corporation.
Does BSNC know approximately how many descendants are eligible?
BSNC estimates that in the first five years the number of shareholders may triple. Currently, BSNC has almost 8,300 shareholders.
When will new shares be issued so I can vote on elections and be eligible for a dividend distribution?
New shares are expected to be issued in early 2027, making recipients eligible for voting that year, as well as eligible for a dividend distribution.
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); Calista Corporation (2017); Bristol Bay Native Corporation (2026); and Chugach Alaska Corporation (2026). In 2025, Bering Straits Native Corporation shareholders voted to approve descendant enrollment as well.
Can I disenroll from one regional corporation and enroll in another?
No, under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), you cannot disenroll from one regional corporation to join another. Enrollment in a regional corporation is permanent and is based on your original eligibility or inherited/gifted shares. Each person may only be enrolled in one regional corporation at a time, and ANCSA does not allow for voluntary transfer of enrollment between regional corporations. However, you can be a shareholder in more than one corporation if you inherit or receive gifted shares from different corporations.
Is there a deadline to apply?
BSNC’s enrollment is continuous, meaning at this time there is no deadline to apply and the application will not close.
Are the communities that opted out of ANCSA (Gambell, Savoonga, Elim) eligible?
Eligibility to enroll with BSNC is based on an individual’s ability to demonstrate lineal descent from an original shareholder of Bering Straits Native Corporation. This means applicants must trace their ancestry directly to someone who was issued original shares of BSNC, in accordance with the passing of ANCSA in 1971.
It may help to clarify that while communities such as Gambell, Elim and Savoonga chose to opt out of ANCSA and are not part of BSNC, some individuals with ties to those communities did choose to enroll and became original shareholders in the 1970s. For example, some families with ties to Savoonga have original shareholders within BSNC despite the community’s decision to opt out of ANCSA.
If you would like help reviewing potential lineage, please feel free to reach out. We are happy to work with you further.
Why do I need to fill out a Custodian Consent Form?
This requirement is part of BSNC policy for all minors, or adults with legal custodians who would receive BSNC stock. This standard protects the beneficiary’s interest and ownership rights over time. The complete form will confirm who will serve as custodian of the BSNC stock and will hold responsibility for voting and receiving distributions on behalf of the beneficiary.
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 Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood is 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.