Our Mission
The Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs (AS-IA) of the Department of the Interior implements Part 83 of Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations (25 CFR Part 83), Procedures for Federal Acknowledgment of Indian Tribes. The acknowledgment process is the Department’s administrative process by which petitioning groups that meet the criteria are given Federal "acknowledgment" as Indian Tribes and by which they become eligible to receive services provided to members of Indian Tribes. OFA also assists AS-IA with meeting other departmental missions.
Now Available – New Digital Petition Portal
OFA’s new user-friendly digital petition portal is now available. Groups seeking Federal Acknowledgement under the 25 CFR Part 83 process can visit Digital Petition Portalto submit their petitions online through the portal. Using the portal, you will be able to:
- Avoid shipping costs
- Submit petition documents securely and efficiently
- Receive prompt confirmation when petition documents are received
- Easily upload additional documents as needed
While the portal does not replace existing submission methods, it provides a more convenient, efficient, secure, and streamlined option for submitting petitions.
Services We Provide
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Petitioner Map (Headquarters)
