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N-400 questions: Selective service and green card expiration

By JamesG in US Citizenship General Discussion

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JamesG Newbie

JamesG   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
Posted

Hello,

I'm looking to submit my N-400 and I have a couple of quandaries. The first is the selective service requirement. I believe I wasn't required to, because I was in the US on an L1-B (ie, non immigrant) and did not get my green card until I was 27. Everything I've read suggests that I was not therefore required to register.. If anyone is able to confirm this, it would greatly appreciated.

My second question is about my green card. It's due to expire in March 2014. I'm not sure how long the N-400 process will take, but if it takes long enough that my green card will expire before the end of the process, should I also renew the green card at the same time? I'd prefer not to if I can avoid it, of course, but I don't want to take any chances.

Thanks!

Hypnos Grand Master

Hypnos   6,578

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted

Provided you were present in the US in a legal nonimmigrant status then you were not required to register for Selective Service, so you are clear there.

I think you will need to have your green card renewed (using an I-90) before you file for citizenship though; I believe your green card must be valid when USCIS take it prior to the oath ceremony, and yours likely won't be (or it will be very close).

Widow/er AoS Guide | Have AoS questions? Read (some) answers here

 

AoS

Day 0 (4/23/12) Petitions mailed (I-360, I-485, I-765)
2 (4/25/12) Petitions delivered to Chicago Lockbox
11 (5/3/12) Received 3 paper NOAs
13 (5/5/12) Received biometrics appointment for 5/23
15 (5/7/12) Did an unpleasant walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX
45 (6/7/12) Received email & text notification of an interview on 7/10
67 (6/29/12) EAD production ordered
77 (7/9/12) Received EAD
78 (7/10/12) Interview
100 (8/1/12) I-485 transferred to Vermont Service Centre
143 (9/13/12) Contacted DHS Ombudsman
268 (1/16/13) I-360, I-485 consolidated and transferred to Dallas
299 (2/16/13) Received second interview letter for 3/8
319 (3/8/13) Approved at interview
345 (4/3/13) I-360, I-485 formally approved; green card production ordered
353 (4/11/13) Received green card

 

Naturalisation

Day 0 (1/3/18) N-400 filed online

Day 6 (1/9/18) Walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX

Day 341 (12/10/18) Interview was scheduled for 1/14/19

Day 376 (1/14/19) Interview

Day 385 (1/23/19) Denied

Day 400 (2/7/19) Denial revoked; N-400 approved; oath ceremony set for 2/14/19

Day 407 (2/14/19) Oath ceremony in Dallas, TX

Nimaan Enthusiast

Nimaan   27

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Kenya
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

Hm, this document seems to agree with what you're saying.. Damn, that's $450 I was not planning on spending.

On the selective service--you will still need a status letter from selective service. Call SS to ask about that.

I also found this article on nolo.com:

If you are ready and eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship, you can submit the citizenship application instead of renewing the green card. USCIS does not mind if you carry around an expired green card once you have the N-400 application for naturalization on file. If you need to change jobs or travel outside the U.S., however, you will probably want to renew the green card, to prove to the rest of the world that you are still a permanent resident.

Edited by Nimaan

ROC:
07/2010....Attorney mailed I-751 divorce waiver
07/21/10...USCIS recvd I-751
07/21/10...NOA1
08/20/10...Bio completed
09/16/10...Recvd RFE, due 10/31
10/26/10...Mailed RFE
10/27/10...RFE delivered to VSC
04/26/11...Interview
05/11/11...APPROVED!!
05/18/11...Card production ordered
05/23/11...Received green card



N400:
04/29/13.. Eligible to file N400
04/26/13...Mailed N400..Dallas, TX
04/28/13...USPS delivered package (Priority mail)
04/29/13...NOA Priority date
05/02/13...Check cashed
05/10/13...Rcvd bio notice
05/30/13...Bio Appt
05/17/13...Walk in bio successful
06/28/13...Placed in line for interview scheduling
08/06/13...Recvd email interview has been scheduled
08/10/13...Recvd Interview letter
09/12/13...N400 Interview
09/12/13...Decision cannot be made
10/21/14...Biometrics (second time)
01/05/15...In line for oath scheduling

01/21/15...Oath Ceremony

01/21/15...Applied Passport

02/05/15..Received Passport

Journey Over!!

Jay2Pnoy Explorer

Jay2Pnoy   3

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted

1. All you need is a status letter from the Selective Service. First check if you ever registered here: http://www.sss.gov/default.htm, sometimes DMVs automatically register from their database (this happened to me) or call the number 847 area code...

2. No need to renew green card, in fact you can apply for naturalization with an expired green card.

I-485 Adjustment of Status

10/21/2000 - Entry as B2 visa, changed status to F1

07/25/2005 - Mom filed F2B

03/01/2007 - Filed AOS to Permanent Resident under 245(i) by virtue of Section 203(h)(3) of the Child Status Protection Act of 2001; Public Law 107-208 (CSPA). Automatic Conversion of F2B petition and Retention of Priority date of an F4 petition as derivative beneficiary of dad filed in 1982 by his sister (hereinafter referred to as the "Automatic Conversion and Retention" clause of the CSPA). With the help of a lawyer from Los Angeles - who sent lots of briefs and case laws previously cited by the Board of Immigration Appeals, and Federal Courts to support our arguments.

03/04/2007 - Notice of Action for AOS Received

03/31/2007 - Biometrics Appointment

06/--/2007 - Interviewed in Chicago, District Adjudicator unable to approve AOS outright as more time was needed to review our case arguments, will notify us of the decision.

08/03/2007 - Decision on AOS - "DENIED" on the basis that F2B petition filed by mom was not current. USCIS misconstrued the basis for eligibility for AOS. (Copy of F2B petition mom filed only submitted as evidence that I sought to acquire status as a permanent resident within one year of the availability of the visa (F4 visa current on 12/2004), a requirement for seeking relief under CSPA and INA 203(h)(3))

08/28/2007 - Filed Request for Reconsideration of Decision on Adjustment of Status Application Based on Service (USCIS) Error, that filing for AOS eligibility was based on dad's 1982 petition, that CIS made an error in determining eligibility. (Motion to Reconsider on Form I-290B was filed without a fee, lawyer argued due to the fact that basis for AOS was erred by the Service)

01/24/2008 - Motion to Reconsider/Appeal Rejected by the USCIS District Adjudicator in Chicago due to non-payment of fee.

02/15/2008 - Re-submitted Motion to Reconsider Denial of AOS to Permanent Resident on Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), Washington, DC.

02/19/2008 - USCIS received re-filed Motion to Reconsider with a fee of $585. Motion to Reconsider was later transferred to the Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU) in Chicago, IL.

07/28/2008 - Motion to Reconsider Denial of Adjustment on Form I-290B was reconsidered. USCIS Director in Chicago in its own motion submitted a Motion to Reopen, to reopen the case in its entirety. USCIS Director requested for 2nd interview and biometrics (after I sent tons of inquiries to the US Senators Barack Obama and Richard Durbin representing Illinois)

08/02/2008 - 2nd Biometrics Appointment

08/18/2008 - Dad filed another F2B petition requesting F2B conversion from F4 under CSPA and retention of his priority date of 1982. (CSPA decisions and case laws with BIA, Federal Courts and Court of Appeals for the 5th and 9th Circuits do not require that petitioners on later filed F2B petitions be the same as the beneficiary of the original petition, in my case dad was the beneficiary of an F4, but USCIS stance on conversion is that it does not apply to other immigration petitions except F2A and it should not be considered automatic in nature, therefore filing is necessary). A new F2B petition to the derivative beneficiary of the original petition would not have been necessary as afforded by the Act, but the USCIS does not conform to its automatic conversion clause as was on the Act.

09/05/2008 - Email Notice on Adjustment of Status "APPROVAL." (without 2nd interview as originally requested on CIS letter when decided to reopen the case). {Approved AOS based on a hard fought CSPA Automatic Conversion of my F4 derivative status to F2B and Retention of dad's Priority Date of 1982 (therefore making the F2B petition current having retained dad's PD). Law that the government decided to ignore for more than a decade now since the Act was enacted in 2001 signed by President Bush. (The lawyer who represented my case before the District Office Director in Chicago was from the same law firm in Los Angeles who sued the government, in a class action, due to its restrictive interpretation of CSPA denying benefits to those who are otherwise beneficiary of the law, those children of intending immigrants who aged out due to no fault of their own. The law firm was successful in overturning Federal Court ruling in Los Angeles when it appealed the class action to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, En Banc decision.) The government then appealed the decision En Banc of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (which basically entitled "aged outs", or those derivative beneficiariess of any family based, employment based, diversity visa categories, who turned over 21 yrs of age, to join their parents upon receiving permanent residency status) to the Supreme Court, conjoined Federal Courts decisions out of the 2nd and 5th Circuit Courts of Appeals. PENDING before the Supreme Court, anticipating decision or ruling in 2014.}

09/10/2008 - Received Green Card

N-400 Application for Naturalization

09/05/2013 - Eligibility

06/08/2013 - Sent Form N-400 (90-day rule)

06/10/2013 - Priority Date

06/10/2013 - Check Cashed

07/03/2013 - Biometrics

08/05/2013 - In line for Interview

08/12/2013 - Email Notice N-400 scheduled for Interview

08/19/2013 - Interview Letter - received

09/17/2013 - Interview @ 0930am @ 101 West Congress Parkway, 2nd Floor Citizenship Office, Chicago, IL -- APPROVED!!!

09/18/2013 - Oath Letter - mailed from Chicago USCIS Office

09/19/2013 - Oath Letter - mailed from the National Benefits Center

09/20/2013 - Oath Letter - from Chicago USCIS Office received

09/21/2013 - Oath Letter - from the National Benefits Center received

2 Oath Ceremony Appointment Letters

09/27/2013 - Oath Ceremony

BigDaddy28 Proficient

BigDaddy28   228

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
Posted

Hm, this document seems to agree with what you're saying.. Damn, that's $450 I was not planning on spending.

You can still apply for citizenship even though your green card expires on march. You still have a long time you will probably a citizen before your card expires lol. Don't apply to renew your card apply for citizenship. It's okay to do that, your status doesn't expire even though your card expired. Good luck.

JamesG Newbie

JamesG   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

1. All you need is a status letter from the Selective Service. First check if you ever registered here: http://www.sss.gov/default.htm, sometimes DMVs automatically register from their database (this happened to me) or call the number 847 area code...

2. No need to renew green card, in fact you can apply for naturalization with an expired green card.

I checked, wasn't registered. I'll put in a request for a letter.

I'm encouraged by all the opinions that I don't need to renew my greencard, but this document (question 24) seems to specifically disagree.. so I'm a bit worried..

JamesG Newbie

JamesG   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

hah, of course, the selective service department is closed now because of the government shut down.. Oops. Hopefully that only lasts a few days. Although, the M-479 says I only need to include the letter "If you did not register with the Selective Service and you (1) are male, (2) are 26 years old or older, and (3) lived in the United States in a status other than as a lawful nonimmigrant between the ages of 18 and 26".

I lived in the US as a lawful nonimmigrant until I was 27 when I got my green card, so if I'm reading those provisions correctly, I don't even need the letter..

BigDaddy28 Proficient

BigDaddy28   228

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
Posted

hah, of course, the selective service department is closed now because of the government shut down.. Oops. Hopefully that only lasts a few days. Although, the M-479 says I only need to include the letter "If you did not register with the Selective Service and you (1) are male, (2) are 26 years old or older, and (3) lived in the United States in a status other than as a lawful nonimmigrant between the ages of 18 and 26".

I lived in the US as a lawful nonimmigrant until I was 27 when I got my green card, so if I'm reading those provisions correctly, I don't even need the letter..

That question says if your green card is valid 6 months or more. As of this month you are in the 6 month so you can apply for naturalization.

JamesG Newbie

JamesG   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

That question says if your green card is valid 6 months or more. As of this month you are in the 6 month so you can apply for naturalization.

We're down to a matter of weeks though. By the time I get the forms together and submitted, there's a chance it'll be under 6 months.

Jay2Pnoy Explorer

Jay2Pnoy   3

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

I checked, wasn't registered. I'll put in a request for a letter.

I'm encouraged by all the opinions that I don't need to renew my greencard, but this document (question 24) seems to specifically disagree.. so I'm a bit worried..

Just get the status letter, won't hurt it's free. Plenty of time between now and the interview.

Just last week, my cousin's fiance's green card expired in April 2013, he didnt bother to renew, asked me for my opinion, I told him the same thing I said to you, know what he did? because he didnt believe he went to USCIS office in Chicago, made an appointment, he's told NOT to renew, but instead file for US naturalization. I asked this same question to 4 different immigration lawyers in the past, all 4 have the same response --- you can even apply with an expired green card, only card expires, status does not.

Visit this link:

http://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/green-card-expired-april-2013--applying-for-n-400--1409696.html

The above link should be sufficient advice, these are immigration attorneys.

Edited by Jay2Pnoy

I-485 Adjustment of Status

10/21/2000 - Entry as B2 visa, changed status to F1

07/25/2005 - Mom filed F2B

03/01/2007 - Filed AOS to Permanent Resident under 245(i) by virtue of Section 203(h)(3) of the Child Status Protection Act of 2001; Public Law 107-208 (CSPA). Automatic Conversion of F2B petition and Retention of Priority date of an F4 petition as derivative beneficiary of dad filed in 1982 by his sister (hereinafter referred to as the "Automatic Conversion and Retention" clause of the CSPA). With the help of a lawyer from Los Angeles - who sent lots of briefs and case laws previously cited by the Board of Immigration Appeals, and Federal Courts to support our arguments.

03/04/2007 - Notice of Action for AOS Received

03/31/2007 - Biometrics Appointment

06/--/2007 - Interviewed in Chicago, District Adjudicator unable to approve AOS outright as more time was needed to review our case arguments, will notify us of the decision.

08/03/2007 - Decision on AOS - "DENIED" on the basis that F2B petition filed by mom was not current. USCIS misconstrued the basis for eligibility for AOS. (Copy of F2B petition mom filed only submitted as evidence that I sought to acquire status as a permanent resident within one year of the availability of the visa (F4 visa current on 12/2004), a requirement for seeking relief under CSPA and INA 203(h)(3))

08/28/2007 - Filed Request for Reconsideration of Decision on Adjustment of Status Application Based on Service (USCIS) Error, that filing for AOS eligibility was based on dad's 1982 petition, that CIS made an error in determining eligibility. (Motion to Reconsider on Form I-290B was filed without a fee, lawyer argued due to the fact that basis for AOS was erred by the Service)

01/24/2008 - Motion to Reconsider/Appeal Rejected by the USCIS District Adjudicator in Chicago due to non-payment of fee.

02/15/2008 - Re-submitted Motion to Reconsider Denial of AOS to Permanent Resident on Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), Washington, DC.

02/19/2008 - USCIS received re-filed Motion to Reconsider with a fee of $585. Motion to Reconsider was later transferred to the Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU) in Chicago, IL.

07/28/2008 - Motion to Reconsider Denial of Adjustment on Form I-290B was reconsidered. USCIS Director in Chicago in its own motion submitted a Motion to Reopen, to reopen the case in its entirety. USCIS Director requested for 2nd interview and biometrics (after I sent tons of inquiries to the US Senators Barack Obama and Richard Durbin representing Illinois)

08/02/2008 - 2nd Biometrics Appointment

08/18/2008 - Dad filed another F2B petition requesting F2B conversion from F4 under CSPA and retention of his priority date of 1982. (CSPA decisions and case laws with BIA, Federal Courts and Court of Appeals for the 5th and 9th Circuits do not require that petitioners on later filed F2B petitions be the same as the beneficiary of the original petition, in my case dad was the beneficiary of an F4, but USCIS stance on conversion is that it does not apply to other immigration petitions except F2A and it should not be considered automatic in nature, therefore filing is necessary). A new F2B petition to the derivative beneficiary of the original petition would not have been necessary as afforded by the Act, but the USCIS does not conform to its automatic conversion clause as was on the Act.

09/05/2008 - Email Notice on Adjustment of Status "APPROVAL." (without 2nd interview as originally requested on CIS letter when decided to reopen the case). {Approved AOS based on a hard fought CSPA Automatic Conversion of my F4 derivative status to F2B and Retention of dad's Priority Date of 1982 (therefore making the F2B petition current having retained dad's PD). Law that the government decided to ignore for more than a decade now since the Act was enacted in 2001 signed by President Bush. (The lawyer who represented my case before the District Office Director in Chicago was from the same law firm in Los Angeles who sued the government, in a class action, due to its restrictive interpretation of CSPA denying benefits to those who are otherwise beneficiary of the law, those children of intending immigrants who aged out due to no fault of their own. The law firm was successful in overturning Federal Court ruling in Los Angeles when it appealed the class action to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, En Banc decision.) The government then appealed the decision En Banc of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (which basically entitled "aged outs", or those derivative beneficiariess of any family based, employment based, diversity visa categories, who turned over 21 yrs of age, to join their parents upon receiving permanent residency status) to the Supreme Court, conjoined Federal Courts decisions out of the 2nd and 5th Circuit Courts of Appeals. PENDING before the Supreme Court, anticipating decision or ruling in 2014.}

09/10/2008 - Received Green Card

N-400 Application for Naturalization

09/05/2013 - Eligibility

06/08/2013 - Sent Form N-400 (90-day rule)

06/10/2013 - Priority Date

06/10/2013 - Check Cashed

07/03/2013 - Biometrics

08/05/2013 - In line for Interview

08/12/2013 - Email Notice N-400 scheduled for Interview

08/19/2013 - Interview Letter - received

09/17/2013 - Interview @ 0930am @ 101 West Congress Parkway, 2nd Floor Citizenship Office, Chicago, IL -- APPROVED!!!

09/18/2013 - Oath Letter - mailed from Chicago USCIS Office

09/19/2013 - Oath Letter - mailed from the National Benefits Center

09/20/2013 - Oath Letter - from Chicago USCIS Office received

09/21/2013 - Oath Letter - from the National Benefits Center received

2 Oath Ceremony Appointment Letters

09/27/2013 - Oath Ceremony

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

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