Native American Travel Documents

Native American Travel Documents
Native Americans are U.S. citizens (by law since 1924) and may obtain U.S. passports like any other citizen. In fact, U.S. policy makes clear that only U.S.-issued passports (or equivalent federal documents) are valid for international air travel – tribal-issued documents “are not passports under U.S. law”. For example, when the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team tried to travel to England in 2010 on Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) passports, the U.S. State Department required them to use U.S. passports instead. Conversely, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rules do permit certain tribal IDs for entry at land/seaports: approved tribal cards (Form I‑872 American Indian Cards or Enhanced Tribal Cards) may denote identity/citizenship at U.S. land borders, but these are valid only for land/sea entry, not for air travel.

Tribal Passports and Travel IDs

Some Native nations issue their own “passports” or secure ID cards. For example, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy has issued passports to its citizens since the early 20th century. These Haudenosaunee passports have been carried by Iroquois athletes and leaders on international trips (see image below). Similarly, the Hopi and Western Shoshone tribes have issued their own passports or travel documents. In recent years several tribes issue Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)–compliant IDs: e.g. the Kickapoo (Texas) and Chickasaw Nations issue Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs) that U.S. CBP accepts for border crossing. Federally recognized tribal nations also issue “American Indian Cards” (Form I‑872) under the Jay Treaty, allowing certain Native Americans (e.g. Canadian-born Natives with ≥50% blood quantum) to cross U.S. borders without a passport. In short:

• Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) passports: The Iroquois Confederacy issues passports to its citizens. Members of the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse teams have long traveled on these documents (as shown below). (Hopi and Western Shoshone passports are similar in concept.) Native American Travel Documents
• Western Shoshone passports: The Western Shoshone Nation issues “Western Shoshone passports” (since 1992) for tribal citizens. (For instance, Western Shoshone leaders have traveled to climate conferences carrying these documents.)
• Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs): Tribes like the Kickapoo of Texas and the Chickasaw Nation issue WHTI-compliant tribal cards. CBP arranged for the Kickapoo to begin issuing an Enhanced Tribal Card (ETC) in 2018; similarly, the Chickasaw ETC is a secure ID recognized under WHTI. These cards carry RFID chips and are accepted by CBP for land/sea entry as proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Form I-872 “American Indian” Card: Eligible Native Americans may obtain a CBP-issued I‑872 card (based on Jay Treaty rights). U.S. rules explicitly allow U.S./Canadian Natives to use Form I‑872 or an ETC in lieu of a passport at land/sea ports.
• Tribal photo IDs (enrollment cards): Many tribes issue enrollment or membership cards with photo IDs. CBP has allowed tribes to discuss use of these for border entry. (During the 2008 Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative rollout, CBP said tribal enrollment cards with a photo would be acceptable during a transition.) These cards are also recognized as valid ID by domestic agencies: e.g. TSA lists a federally-issued tribal ID (including ETCs) as acceptable for U.S. air travel.

Historical International Travel Native American Travel Documents

Native Americans have traveled abroad for centuries, often using a mix of U.S. and tribal documents. In the 1920s, for example, the Six Nations Confederacy issued its own passport to Chief Levi “Deskaheh” General after Canadian authorities refused him permission to travel. In fact, Canadian officials refused passports to Haudenosaunee leaders, so the Six Nations Council simply made their own and traveled freely. Deskaheh and attorney George Decker famously toured Europe (in 1921–1923) carrying Haudenosaunee passports to press the League of Nations for Iroquois rights. More recently, in 2010–2016 the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse teams insisted on using their Haudenosaunee passports for world championships. (The U.S. granted one-time re-entry waivers, but Britain continued to block them on those documents.) Likewise, Western Shoshone leaders have used their tribal passports for international summits (e.g. climate conferences in Bolivia) as a form of political assertion. In short, while Native athletes and diplomats have traveled internationally on their own tribal documents, those documents are generally not recognized by most foreign governments.

Modern Recognition of Tribal Documents Native American Travel Documents

In recent years the U.S. and some other countries have begun to recognize certain tribal travel documents in practice. Under the current WHTI rules, CBP and DHS work with tribes to create secure cards. For example, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas and Chickasaw Nation now issue WHTI-compliant cards that CBP treats as valid travel documents. In 2022 the U.S. Customs Commissioner formally designated the Kickapoo tribal card as acceptable for entry from contiguous land/sea borders. Domestically, TSA explicitly lists federally-recognized tribal photo IDs (including Enhanced Tribal Cards) among acceptable IDs at airport security.

Some foreign governments have also recognized tribal passports in specific cases. For instance, Israel accepted Haudenosaunee passports for the Iroquois Nationals in 2018 (subject to guarantees for return), and Ireland accepted Haudenosaunee passports for the 2022 U-21 Lacrosse Championship. (Japan admitted an Iroquois delegation on tribal passports in 2005.) By contrast, Canada does not accept Haudenosaunee passports; Canadian authorities have detained or refused entry to Mohawk travelers using them. Thus, tribal documents can sometimes be used for travel or border crossings today (especially at U.S. land borders), but their acceptance varies, and they are not considered official passports under U.S. law. Native American Travel Documents

Sources: U.S. State Dept. and DHS travel rules, cbp.govcbp.gov; Reuters/AP news on tribal travel reuters.comnativetimes.com; tribal government publications cbp.govchickasaw.net; academic history of Iroquois passports cambridge.org.

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Tom Topol | Passport History Expert & Author.
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