INTRUCTIONS - APPLICATION FOR ALREADY REGISTERED PERSONS - ADULTS (16 OR OLDER), CHILDREN (15 OR YOUNGER) AND DEPENDENT ADULTS

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INSTRUCTIONS – SECURE CERTIFICATE OF INDIAN STATUS (SCIS)

APPLICATION FOR ALREADY REGISTERED PERSONS

ADULTS (16 OR OLDER), CHILDREN (15 OR YOUNGER) AND DEPENDENT ADULTS

General information

Note: SCIS stands for Secure Certificate of Indian Status.

► This guide is for persons already registered under the Indian Act who are applying for the Secure Certificate of

Indian Status (SCIS).

► To apply for the SCIS, the adult applicant (16 or older), child (15 or younger) or dependent adult must be registered under the

Indian Act.

Persons who are not registered can apply for registration and the SCIS at the same time by completing the Application for

Registration on the Indian Register and for the Secure Certificate of Indian Status (form 83-168E

for applicants 16 or older or

form 83-171E for children 15 or younger and dependent adults).

► To complete the application, you may need to complete and submit a Guarantor Declaration form (83-169E).

A guarantor is a person who can confirm the identity of the adult applicant (16 or older) or the identity of the parent or legal guardian

who is applying for a child (15 or younger) or dependent adult. The guarantor must meet the criteria detailed on the Guarantor

Declaration form.

If a guarantor is needed but cannot be found, you must complete and submit a Statutory Declaration in lieu of Guarantor

form (83-170E) and provide 2 references who can confirm the identity of the adult applicant (16 or older) or the parent or legal

guardian. You must complete and sign the form before a person authorized by law to administer oaths and declarations, for

example, a commissioner for oaths/affidavits, notary or lawyer.

► The SCIS is valid for 10 years for adults and dependent adults and 5 years for children. The SCIS can be renewed up to 1 year

before the renewal date displayed on the front of the card.

► The SCIS is issued with a machine-readable zone to facilitate Canada-U.S. border crossing at land and marine ports of entry.

► For more information or to obtain forms, visit www.canada.ca/indian-status-forms

or call 1-800-567-9604.

How to submit the application

IN PERSON:

• At a regional office. It is recommended that you call ahead to make an appointment. For a list of regional offices, visit

www.canada.ca/indian-status-card

or call 1-800-567-9604.

• At a First Nation office, if the service is available. It is recommended that you contact the First Nation office first.

BY MAIL:

• If you send the application by mail, you must complete and submit a Guarantor Declaration form (83-169E

). The form must be

signed by you and the guarantor.

• The guarantor must sign and date each copy of the front and back of your identification documents.

• The guarantor must also sign and date the back of the digital photo if using the SCIS Photo App or the back of 1 printed photo.

Send the application and all required documents to:

National SCIS Processing Unit

Indigenous Services Canada

10 rue Wellington

Gatineau QC K1A 0H4

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Photo requirements

► You can take your own photo and submit it from your smartphone free of charge using the SCIS Photo App OR submit 2 printed

identical and unaltered passport-style quality photos.

►

Photos can be in colour or black and white and can be taken by anyone, and must be:

•

clear, sharp and in focus;

•

taken with a neutral facial expression, that is, eyes open and clearly visible, mouth closed;

•

taken with even lighting, without shadows, glare or flash reflections;

•

taken straight on, with face and shoulders centered and squared to the camera;

•

taken in front of a plain white or light-coloured background, with a clear difference between the face and the background;

•

must represent natural skin tones;

•

prescription eyeglasses may be worn as long as the eyes are clearly visible and there is no reflection or glare on the eyeglasses;

•

sunglasses and tinted eyeglasses are unacceptable;

•

photos with the red-eye effect or red-eye alterations are unacceptable;

•

head coverings are not acceptable, unless worn for religious, cultural or medical reasons. If worn, the head covering must not

cast any shadows and the full face must be clearly visible;

•

hair can be worn down;

•

For a child, the photo must show the child's head and shoulders only. Parent's or child's hands must not appear in the photo;

•

For a newborn, the photo may be taken while the child is sitting in a car seat, as long as a white blanket is placed over the

seat behind the child's head;

•

taken within no more than 12 months before the date you submit the application and must reflect the current appearance of the

adult applicant, child or dependent adult;

•

must be original photos and not taken from an existing photo.

► Printed photos must meet these specifications:

•

50 mm wide x 70 mm high (2 inches wide x 2

∕

inches high) in size;

•

length of the face must be between 31 mm (1

∕

inches) and 36 mm (1

∕

inches) from chin to natural top of head;

•

printed on plain, high-quality photographic paper;

•

On the back of 1 photo: write your name (or the name of the child or dependent adult) and the date the photo was taken.

If submitting the application by mail, your guarantor must also sign and date the back of the photo.

(

Not actual size. Refer to measurements above.)

Front

Back

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ADULT (16 OR OLDER) APPLICATION

Fill out all applicable sections of the form. Do not forget to sign and date your application (section 7) to avoid delays.

Note: The gender designation selected on the form will be recorded as Male, Female or Another Gender on the Indian Register

and displayed on your Secure Certificate of Indian Status as M, F or X. The gender designation selected on the form does not

need to match the gender designation displayed on the documents submitted with your application or previously submitted to

Indigenous Services Canada.

Submit your PHOTO from your smartphone free of charge using the SCIS Photo App OR submit 2 printed identical and

unaltered passport-style quality photos (refer to the photo requirements).

Provide IDENTIFICATION that is valid and not expired. Select ONE of the following options:

Option 1 - If you have a Secure Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS) and were 16 or older when you last applied for it,

provide your SCIS. No other identification is required.

Option 2 – ONE piece of identification that includes your name, date of birth, photo and signature from this list:

• Passport

• Driver's licence

• Canadian military identification (with or without a signature

or date of birth)

• Identification card issued by a province or territory

• Provincial, territorial or federal Correctional Services

identification (with or without a signature)

• Health card issued by a province or territory if it shows

your name, date of birth, photo and signature

• Canadian citizenship card issued prior to February 1, 2012

• Canadian permanent resident card with signature (issued

before February 4, 2012)

• U.S. permanent resident card

Option 3 – MULTIPLE pieces of identification that, when combined, include your name, date of birth, photo and signature, from

this list:

• Health card issued by a province or territory

• Government employee identification card

• Canadian permanent resident card without signature

(issued after February 4, 2012)

• U.S. passport card

• NEXUS or FAST card

• Firearms license

• U.S. Old Age Security

Option 4 – ONE piece of identification listed under option 3 and ONE document from this list:

• a Guarantor Declaration form (83-169E)

• your Certificate of Indian Status

• your Secure Certificate of Indian Status that your parent or legal guardian applied for on your behalf

Option 5 – If you currently have a Certificate of Indian Status (CIS) but were previously issued a Secure Certificate of Indian

Status as an adult applicant (you were 16 or older when you applied for it), you may provide your CIS and a Guarantor

Declaration form (83-169E).

If your name has changed, you must provide 1 or multiple LEGAL DOCUMENTS linking your previous name with your

current name, such as a change-of-name certificate, marriage certificate, divorce order or an amended birth certificate with

your current name. If name-linking documents were provided previously to Indigenous Services Canada, you do not need to

provide them again.

Provide an original name-linking document OR a copy of the name-linking document and a copy of a government-issued

identification document with your current name, such as a driver's licence.

Provide a GUARANTOR DECLARATION form (83-169E) if submitting your application by mail (refer to the

instructions on page 1) or if required with your identification documents.

Note: If you are applying in person, bring your original identification documents.

If you are applying by mail, you must submit a Guarantor Declaration form (83-169E) and copies of the front

and back of your identification documents, each copy signed and dated by your guarantor.

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CHILD (15 OR YOUNGER) OR DEPENDENT ADULT APPLICATION

Complete all applicable sections of the form. Do not forget to sign and date your application (section 7) to avoid delays.

Note: The gender designation selected on the form will be recorded as Male, Female or Another Gender on the Indian Register and

displayed on your Secure Certificate of Indian Status as M, F or X. The gender designation selected on the form does not need to

match the gender designation displayed on the documents submitted with your application or previously submitted to Indigenous

Services Canada.

Provide the required documents for the CHILD or DEPENDENT ADULT:

• Submit the child’s or dependent adult’s PHOTO from your smartphone free of charge using the SCIS Photo App

OR submit 2 printed identical and unaltered passport-style quality photos (refer to the photo requirements).

• For a child, copy of the most recent LEGAL DOCUMENTS, such as a divorce order, separation agreement, custody or

guardianship order, granting custody or guardianship of the child to the applying parent or guardian, if applicable.

• For a dependent adult, copy of the ORDER OF GUARDIANSHIP.

• If the name of the child or dependent adult has changed, provide a LEGAL DOCUMENT that links their previous name

with their current name, such as a change-of-name certificate or an amended birth certificate with their current name.

If name-linking documents were provided previously to Indigenous Services Canada, you do not need to provide them again.

Provide an original name-linking document OR a copy of the name-linking document and a copy of a government-issued

identification document with their current name, such as a health card.

Provide IDENTIFICATION that is valid and not expired for the applying PARENT or LEGAL GUARDIAN. Select ONE

of the following options:

Option 1 – Your Secure Certificate of Indian Status or your Certificate of Indian Status.

Option 2 – ONE piece of identification that includes your name, date of birth, photo and signature, from this list:

• Passport

• Driver's licence

• Canadian military identification (with or without a signature

or date of birth)

• Identification card issued by a province or territory

• Provincial, territorial or federal Correctional Services

identification (with or without a signature)

• Health card issued by a province or territory if it shows

your name, date of birth, photo and signature

• Canadian citizenship card issued prior to February 1, 2012

• Canadian permanent resident card with signature (issued

before February 4, 2012)

• U.S. permanent resident card

Option 3 – MULTIPLE pieces of identification that, when combined, include your name, date of birth, photo and signature, from

this list:

• Health card issued by a province or territory

• Government employee identification card

• Canadian permanent resident card without signature

(issued after February 4, 2012)

• U.S. passport card

• NEXUS or FAST card

• Firearms license

• U.S. Old Age Security

Option 4 – ONE piece of identification listed under option 3 and a Guarantor Declaration form (83-169E).

If applicable, provide a copy of one or multiple LEGAL DOCUMENTS linking the parent’s or legal guardian’s previous

name with their current name, such as a change-of-name certificate, marriage certificate, divorce order or an amended birth

certificate. This is required only if the name of the applying parent or legal guardian on their identification documents is not the

same as on the custody or guardianship documents, or on documents previously submitted to Indigenous Services Canada,

for example, the birth certificate of the child or dependent adult submitted at the time of registration. If name-linking documents

were provided previously, you do not need to provide them again.

Provide a GUARANTOR DECLARATION form (83-169E) if submitting your application by mail (refer to the

instructions on page 1) or if required with the parent’s or legal guardian’s identification documents.

Note: If you are applying in person, bring your original identification documents.

If you are applying by mail, you must submit a Guarantor Declaration form (83-169E) and copies of the front

and back of your identification documents, each copy signed and dated by your guarantor.