How to Join the RISSAR
Any man shall be eligible for membership in this Society who, being of the age of eighteen years or over and a citizen of good repute in the community, is a lineal descendant of an ancestor who was at all times unfailing in loyalty to the cause of American independence and rendered acceptable service (see list of specific acceptable services at http://www.sar.org/forms/form0910.pdf or request membership brochure form 0910) by overt acts of resistance to the authority of Great Britain. The patriotic service must be documented through acceptable references. Family tradition in regard to the service of the ancestor or the line of descent is not acceptable as documentation. The applicant must also be personally acceptable to the Society.

No preliminary decision on a line of decent, service or the evidentiary value of proposed evidence will be given by either NSSAR or RISSAR. If the complete and documented application has been submitted and is found to be inadequate, the applicant may be advised of possible ways to secure better documentation.