This service supports the following business functions:

• Register eligible First Nations (FN) individuals as Registered Indians under the Indian Act in the Indian Registry;
• Record life events (e.g., birth, death, marriage, adoption, etc.) in the Indian Registry;
• Issue Certificates of Indian Status (Status Cards) to identify FN persons as eligible for services and benefits that are specifically designed for Registered Indians;
• Renew or replace Certificates of Indian Status.

The department has recently completed a project to modernize the existing Indian Registry System and re-engineer the associated business process to enable on-line access to, and update of, Registry information.

The client groups benefiting from this on-line service include First Nations people, other government departments, provincial / territorial governments, and private sector service providers.

This service will provide improved access for First Nations people to services and benefits provided by other government departments, provincial / territorial governments, and Canadian businesses. Currently, some clients are denied access to services and benefits because their status identity cannot be easily determined and authenticated. Primary transactions include uninsured healthcare and provincial sales tax exemption.

The registration of life events and the update of identify information has been improved through authorized secure on-line access to the Indian Registry System by other government departments and Indian Registration Administrators (IRAs) in First Nation membership offices.

The department will also be developing and issuing a more secure identification card to minimize the misuse of the existing (CIS). The enhanced identification card will improve access by First Nations individuals to programs and services that require identity authentication.