Bill C-38, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements)

Find out what the Government of Canada is doing to address remaining inequities in registration and First Nations membership under the Indian Act .

Bill C-38, An Act to amend the Indian Act

Introduced on December 14, 2022, Bill C-38 seeks to:

If passed, Bill C-38 will:

ensure persons with a family history of enfranchisement will be treated the same as those without
enable persons who wish to have their names removed from the Indian Register to apply for deregistration
enable women who were automatically transferred to their husbands' band to seek reaffiliation with their natal band
- women and their direct descendants may apply
Changes in entitlement to registration

Bill C-38 has yet to be given royal assent and become law, so, until then, the proposed amendments can't be applied to applications for registration or protests.

If, after initial review, it appears that your entitlement to registration may change as a result of the proposed amendments, we will advise you in writing that your application is being held until Bill C-38 receives royal assent or until it becomes clear that Bill C-38 won't move forward.

If Bill C-38 becomes law, your application will be processed based on the date it was received. You won't need to reapply.

If you think you are impacted by Bill C-38, we encourage you to apply for registration now.

To find out how to apply for registration, visit Register under the Indian Act .

Contact us

Related links
- Bill C 38: An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements) information kit (PDF, 124 KB, 9 pages)
- Canada introduces Bill C-38 to further address inequities in the registration and band membership provisions of the Indian Act
- Indian Act