Tribal Registration

You must have your photo taken in person using the system that creates the ID cards. We regret that we are unable to process CN Photo ID cards by mail.

The REAL ID law applies to whether ‘state-issued’ IDs are compliant and our Cherokee Nation photo ID is not state-issued.  The REAL ID law ONLY applies to state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.  Our tribal IDs are accepted as a ‘Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID’ for flying per the TSA website (See https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification) and you should not have to show your tribal ID in addition to a driver’s license.  This applies only to air travel, not other federal facilities.  Tribal IDs may be acceptable forms of identification at some federal facilities and may not be considered acceptable at others.

The new card is for your convenience. It combines your blue citizenship card with your CDIB into a single card. It is not mandatory and your old cards will still be valid.

Your blue card is a citizenship card only. You may not vote with the blue card alone.

In order to vote in Cherokee Nation elections you must first register to vote. To be eligible for voter registration you must be 18 years of age or older and have a Cherokee Nation citizenship card. You MUST fill out a voter registration application. You are not automatically eligible to vote unless the above criteria are met. Please visit the Cherokee Nation Election Commission's page to access information on tribal elections and to download a voter registration form.

Rather than per-capita funding, the Cherokee Nation re-invests profits from its tribal enterprises into jobs creation, economic development and important services for tribal citizens who are prioritized as those highest in need such as children, the elderly, low-income or disabled.

Tribal citizens may be eligible for services through tribal, BIA or Indian Health Service programs, depending on your specific situation and the service's eligibility requirements (such as income, age, disability or residence).

The Cherokee Nation and other entities do have grants and scholarships available to tribal citizens. Visit the Education Services section of our website for more information on these opportunities.