US Citizen Selective Service Question

[bubbrubb 0]

Been a US Citizen since 18 living in Canada with US Passport, Social Secutiy (Mom is American). 28 now, been living in Oregon for 4 months (permanent move) and my passport is up for renewal in two months. Never heard about this Selective Service stuff and never registered. Am I in trouble?!

I just got a job that requires me to go back to Canada for two months of training, then back here to Oregon (aunt will send up passport when it comes in the mail)...I just sent my renewal in two days ago but am worried it might not get renewed then I have no way to get back in.

Help?!?

Edited March 1, 2015 by bubbrubb

[JimmyHou 610]

Been a US Citizen since 18 living in Canada with US Passport, Social Secutiy (Mom is American). 28 now, been living in Oregon for 4 months (permanent move) and my passport is up for renewal in two months. Never heard about this Selective Service stuff and never registered. Am I in trouble?!

I just got a job that requires me to go back to Canada for two months of training, then back here to Oregon (aunt will send up passport when it comes in the mail)...I just sent my renewal in two days ago but am worried it might not get renewed then I have no way to get back in.

Help?!?

You're an American.

Nothing to worry about regarding getting back in.

End of story.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi,

As a US citizen, you are entitled to a US passport and entitled to enter the U.S.

Google "failed to register for selective service." Ignorance is not an excuse. There are certain benefits that you will not qualify for.

[bubbrubb 0]

You're an American.

Nothing to worry about regarding getting back in.

End of story.

thanks for the reply! the anxiety has been killin me....

Is it automatic that my US Passport gets renewed? As other poster states its more so me not being eligible for student loans, federal jobs, etc...which is fine, I just want to know I'll be allowed back in because my passport DID get renewed. Otherwise I'm stuck in Canada with no job, no home, etc.

I know selective service is for everyone (US Citizen, GC holders, etc), but my presumption for both posts is that I don't have to worry about the citizen/naturalization side of things....just more so some benefits as mentioned might be taken away.

thanks again!

Edited March 1, 2015 by bubbrubb

[JimmyHou 610]

thanks for the reply! the anxiety has been killin me....

Is it automatic that my US Passport gets renewed? As other poster states its more so me not being eligible for student loans, federal jobs, etc...which is fine, I just want to know I'll be allowed back in because my passport DID get renewed. Otherwise I'm stuck in Canada with no job, no home, etc.

I know selective service is for everyone (US Citizen, GC holders, etc), but my presumption for both posts is that I don't have to worry about the citizen/naturalization side of things....just more so some benefits as mentioned might be taken away.

thanks again!

I don't know what you mean when you ask if it is automatic that your passport gets renewed; no, you have to fill in the application, pay the fees, and supply the required documents, so it's not automatic.

But neither renewing your passport nor entering the US have anything to do with selective service.

[bubbrubb 0]

I don't know what you mean when you ask if it is automatic that your passport gets renewed; no, you have to fill in the application, pay the fees, and supply the required documents, so it's not automatic.

But neither renewing your passport nor entering the US have anything to do with selective service.

I meant automatic as in they dont make a judgement call on it.

I've sent in the paperwork, fee, photo and old passport...

I assume I'm differnt from the many other threads on SS because I am a citizen rather than VISA, GC, etc despite growing up In Canada?

Edited March 1, 2015 by bubbrubb

[BigDaddy28 228]

Been a US Citizen since 18 living in Canada with US Passport, Social Secutiy (Mom is American). 28 now, been living in Oregon for 4 months (permanent move) and my passport is up for renewal in two months. Never heard about this Selective Service stuff and never registered. Am I in trouble?!

I just got a job that requires me to go back to Canada for two months of training, then back here to Oregon (aunt will send up passport when it comes in the mail)...I just sent my renewal in two days ago but am worried it might not get renewed then I have no way to get back in.

Help?!?

You are not required to be registered for selective service to get a US passport. Your US passport will be renewed to you will get back to the US whenever you want. As a citizen they can't ban you from your country.

Now since you are older than the age limit to register for selective service all you can do if asked why you haven't registered is to explain why you didnt register. I mean when I got my green card and i went to school, if I didnt apply for fianancial aid I wouldnt hear about selective service and I wouldve been denied citizenship when I applied for it.

How long have you been living in canada?

[bubbrubb 0]

Lived in Canada my whole life (28yrs). Made permanent move to US 4 months ago and just found a career job down here, hence my worry.

[BigDaddy28 228]

All you can do is explain how you made and honest mistake by not registering and add to the fact that you lived abroad all your life where selective service is not as advertised as it shouldve been to US citizens.

[JimmyHou 610]

I'm not sure how I can be more clear.

As I said:

"neither renewing your passport nor entering the US have anything to do with selective service"

There is no issue, problem, concern, or worry here.

If you saw the Secretary of State tomorrow, stopped him in the street and told him that you didn't register for selective service, the State Department would still issue you a passport.

If you told him you didn't know about selective service registration, they would still issue you a passport.

If you told him that you knew you were supposed to register but you didn't and then you punched him in the face, they would still issue you a passport.

[BigDaddy28 228]

I'm not sure how I can be more clear.

As I said:

"neither renewing your passport nor entering the US have anything to do with selective service"

There is no issue, problem, concern, or worry here.

If you saw the Secretary of State tomorrow, stopped him in the street and told him that you didn't register for selective service, the State Department would still issue you a passport.

If you told him you didn't know about selective service registration, they would still issue you a passport.

If you told him that you knew you were supposed to register but you didn't and then you punched him in the face, they would still issue you a passport.

I think that the issue was how not registering for selective service will affect him in the long run rather than just applying for a passport.

Which I agree that his fear is a bit exaggerated but with a little of explanation those bumps that he will get because of selective service will be removed. I remember when I applied for citizenship I knew I was registered for selective service yet I had a fear that they would have a glitch in the computer and it would show them I wasnt registered lol. Selective service can be overcome if you be honest and let them know that you wouldnt make that mistake if you knew about it.

As I said before living abroad is a great factor since canada wont advertise American rules on its soil.

[JimmyHou 610]

I think that the issue was how not registering for selective service will affect him in the long run rather than just applying for a passport.

Which I agree that his fear is a bit exaggerated but with a little of explanation those bumps that he will get because of selective service will be removed. I remember when I applied for citizenship I knew I was registered for selective service yet I had a fear that they would have a glitch in the computer and it would show them I wasnt registered lol. Selective service can be overcome if you be honest and let them know that you wouldnt make that mistake if you knew about it.

As I said before living abroad is a great factor since canada wont advertise American rules on its soil.

As Aaron said, there are benefits that may be denied because of failure to register for selective service, but the OP has said that he's only concerned about getting a passport and returning to the US.

[ExPatty 502]

OP are you a dual citizen? I wonder if a person who's a dual citizen with the US and Canada and both countries have seized their passports for, say, terrorist relationships, can they still go back and forth between then two? I am betting they could.

Anyway, that of course doesn't apply to you and I'm just wondering. Not registering is somewhat common, and as everyone has already said, it won't affect your qualification for getting a US passport. Here is what you lose by not having registered: https://www.sss.gov/fsmen.htm

The US can deny passports to certain citizens, but they are over more significant deals than not registering for selective service. I dare you to even google it "us passport denied selective service" for example. Good luck finding somebody who mentions it as a reason

[bubbrubb 0]

OP are you a dual citizen? I wonder if a person who's a dual citizen with the US and Canada and both countries have seized their passports for, say, terrorist relationships, can they still go back and forth between then two? I am betting they could.

Anyway, that of course doesn't apply to you and I'm just wondering. Not registering is somewhat common, and as everyone has already said, it won't affect your qualification for getting a US passport. Here is what you lose by not having registered: https://www.sss.gov/fsmen.htm

The US can deny passports to certain citizens, but they are over more significant deals than not registering for selective service. I dare you to even google it "us passport denied selective service" for example. Good luck finding somebody who mentions it as a reason

yup dual citizen..

my worry just stemmed from growing up outside the country, but as other mentioned its a non-issue thank goodness!

Edited March 2, 2015 by bubbrubb