Selective Service?

[Erin and Muraari 0]

Hello all

I just received my green card about a month ago (thanks again VJ members). Today I received a letter in the mail with my selective service registration. I'm very confused. I was born in August 1981 so that makes me 26 years old now. I thought selective service was only required till age 25...... Any reason why I should be concerned? I checked the date of birth on both my green card and on the selective service registration card and they got it right August 1981. So they know I am over 26 and yet the registration happened. Not sure what is going on. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Muraari

[Dan J 277]

Hello all

I just received my green card about a month ago (thanks again VJ members). Today I received a letter in the mail with my selective service registration. I'm very confused. I was born in August 1981 so that makes me 26 years old now. I thought selective service was only required till age 25...... Any reason why I should be concerned? I checked the date of birth on both my green card and on the selective service registration card and they got it right August 1981. So they know I am over 26 and yet the registration happened. Not sure what is going on. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Muraari

I tried to look this up, and its a little confusing.

But it looks they require all aliens to register, unless here on a non-immigrant visa. Which would include K-1, but that status changes as soon as you apply for your green card.

I think you were required to register for part of your stay here. Not registering can prevent you from getting citizenship if you want it. I'm not sure how it works to register after your 26th birthday.

http://www.sss.gov/FSwho.htm

[dolphin1 5]

hi,i got a letter said that i am registerd,i didnt register but they did, i was a lil worry but after searching and what my wife told me,i felt ok,as i read all males from 18 to 25 must register,even aliens even illigales,and if u dont ,u r in a trouble also u cant get the citizenship as in that time they will ask about the selective sevice number and if u need loans to study or if u want to work in a government job.go to selective service system site u will find infos.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I thought it was that you had to register once you entered the US if you were between the ages of 18-25. Once you are 26, you do not have to/cannot register. I would call up Selective Service and ask to clear that up. I have no idea if you plan to ever apply for citizenship, but this could be a problem if you did not register before your 26th birthday and it turns out you had to. I just called them the other day about something else (FASFA related) and it is your 26th birthday, not your 25th.

Edited March 2, 2008 by Wacken

[caybee 21]

Federal law requires that men who are at least 18 years old, but not yet 26 years old, must be registered with Selective Service. This includes all male non-citizens within these age limits who permanently reside in the U.S. Men with "green cards" must register. Men living in the U.S. without INS documentation (undocumented aliens) must also register. Men cannot register after reaching age 26.

Non-immigrant men who are in the U.S. temporarily (diplomatic corps, trade mission personnel, men holding valid visitor or student visas, etc.) do not register.

A male non-citizen who first enters the U.S. as a permanent resident after he has already passed his 26th birthday is not required to register because he is over the age limit.

Selective Service and Immigration

Some non-citizens are required to register. Others are not. Noncitizens who are not required to register with Selective Service include men who are in the U.S. on student or visitor visas, and men who are part of a diplomatic or trade mission and their families. Almost all other male noncitizens are required to register, including illegal aliens, legal permanent residents, and refugees. The general rule is that if a male noncitizen takes up residency in the U.S. before his 26th birthday, he must register with Selective Service.

link

Chart of who must register

The 26th birthday is the cutoff. If I read your signature correctly, you entered the U.S. just before your 26th birthday. You filed for AOS before your 26th birthday, but you received your NOA1 after your birthday. Perhaps USCIS was quicker with the SS registration than they were in getting your NOA1 processed and they actually registered you just before you turned 26. One paragraph from the Selective Service site says you must have entered as a permanent resident before your 26th birthday, and you weren't a permanent resident then since you entered on a K-1. However, another paragraph says, "If a male noncitizen takes up residence before his 26th birthday..." and the K-1 isn't mentioned as one of the exceptions to registration in this case.

I agree -- give Selective Service a call and find out when the registration was submitted to them, and ask them if you were registered in error.

[Erin and Muraari 0]

Hello

I have actually been in the United since I was age 24 as I first came in on an H1 visa (which I know exempted me from registration with selective service then). However,y ou are right I did apply for AOS before my 26th birthday and it could very well be the information filtered through to SS. Regardless I will give them a call as you suggest. However, there are no "real implication" to this correct? I mean even if there is a draft reinstated (which is obviously very unlikely right now), if I do get called up at that point I can prove that I am over 26 and be exempted right? So I am thinking it is not worth the trouble of really dealing with this, but am I missing something? Does being in selective service have any implications beyond the age of 26?

Thanks again for your response.

Muraari

Federal law requires that men who are at least 18 years old, but not yet 26 years old, must be registered with Selective Service. This includes all male non-citizens within these age limits who permanently reside in the U.S. Men with "green cards" must register. Men living in the U.S. without INS documentation (undocumented aliens) must also register. Men cannot register after reaching age 26.

Non-immigrant men who are in the U.S. temporarily (diplomatic corps, trade mission personnel, men holding valid visitor or student visas, etc.) do not register.

A male non-citizen who first enters the U.S. as a permanent resident after he has already passed his 26th birthday is not required to register because he is over the age limit.

Selective Service and Immigration

Some non-citizens are required to register. Others are not. Noncitizens who are not required to register with Selective Service include men who are in the U.S. on student or visitor visas, and men who are part of a diplomatic or trade mission and their families. Almost all other male noncitizens are required to register, including illegal aliens, legal permanent residents, and refugees. The general rule is that if a male noncitizen takes up residency in the U.S. before his 26th birthday, he must register with Selective Service.

link

Chart of who must register

The 26th birthday is the cutoff. If I read your signature correctly, you entered the U.S. just before your 26th birthday. You filed for AOS before your 26th birthday, but you received your NOA1 after your birthday. Perhaps USCIS was quicker with the SS registration than they were in getting your NOA1 processed and they actually registered you just before you turned 26. One paragraph from the Selective Service site says you must have entered as a permanent resident before your 26th birthday, and you weren't a permanent resident then since you entered on a K-1. However, another paragraph says, "If a male noncitizen takes up residence before his 26th birthday..." and the K-1 isn't mentioned as one of the exceptions to registration in this case.

I agree -- give Selective Service a call and find out when the registration was submitted to them, and ask them if you were registered in error.

I know for a fact that H1B visa holders are exempt from registering in selective service since it is a non-immigrant category. So I have never been required to register "until now" but even now I think I have been registered in error. But as you say, at least I can answer the question on the citizenship form now even if it is meaningless.

Muraari

Hello all

I just received my green card about a month ago (thanks again VJ members). Today I received a letter in the mail with my selective service registration. I'm very confused. I was born in August 1981 so that makes me 26 years old now. I thought selective service was only required till age 25...... Any reason why I should be concerned? I checked the date of birth on both my green card and on the selective service registration card and they got it right August 1981. So they know I am over 26 and yet the registration happened. Not sure what is going on. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Muraari

I tried to look this up, and its a little confusing.

But it looks they require all aliens to register, unless here on a non-immigrant visa. Which would include K-1, but that status changes as soon as you apply for your green card.

I think you were required to register for part of your stay here. Not registering can prevent you from getting citizenship if you want it. I'm not sure how it works to register after your 26th birthday.

http://www.sss.gov/FSwho.htm

[bora bora 1]

My husband received this selective service letter in the mail once we mailed off his I-485...I paid little attention to it. Now, only a day after readint his post, we received another letter for him. This one says he is registered and to save the card as proof. I guess it's better that he's registered since he eventually wants to go to school and become a citizen. He is 24 years old so no need to wonder why here...

[Tracy 0]

My husband didn't enter the US until he was 38. We sent a form that you can print off from the selective service website in along with a copy of his passport page showing his entry date and they sent us back a nice letter stating that since he was over 26 when he entered the US he is not required to register. We are using this letter for school loans. So if you take up residence after you are 26 you do not register