Selective Service help

[mdbr 1]

Hello, I'm currently 29 years old, born in 10/1985. Came to the US at age 15, in 08/2001, became resident in 05/2012, when I was 26 years old and a half. I have never filed anything related to selected service, I was not aware of any of this during that time when I was undocumented.

For the question 46-A "Are you a male who have lived in the US during any time between the ages of 18 and 26? (This does not include living the US as a lawful immigrant)"

How should I respond to this? If Yes, how do I go about fixing this problem?

Thanks in advance

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi,

The answer is "yes." Does not matter that you did not get your green card until 26 1/2. You lived in the US from 18 to 26. You were required to file for Selective Service. It doesn't matter if you were here illegally.

This might help. http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/naturalization-eligibility-men-who-failed-register-with-the-selective-service.html

Edited April 5, 2015 by aaron2020

[Done--Really 331]

If your application is rejected, you can simply wait until you are 31 and then failing to register is not an issue.

[mdbr 1]

Hi,

The answer is "yes." Does not matter that you did not get your green card until 26 1/2. You lived in the US from 18 to 26. You were required to file for Selective Service. It doesn't matter if you were here illegally.

This might help. http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/naturalization-eligibility-men-who-failed-register-with-the-selective-service.html

Thank you for sending the link. From the information I've gathered from it, looks like I will need to request a status information letter to explain why I have not filed for selective service during those years.

Has anyone gone through this process, how long will it take to get this letter from them?

[JimmyHou 610]

Thank you for sending the link. From the information I've gathered from it, looks like I will need to request a status information letter to explain why I have not filed for selective service during those years.

Has anyone gone through this process, how long will it take to get this letter from them?

The instructions ask you to submit a status letter, but this letter will just state that your name was not found in the registry. You will still have to explain why you didn't register. If the interviewer is convinced you'll be approved. If not you will need to reapply when you are 31.

Call SSS and make sure that you were never registered; you may have been automatically registered at some point.

Someone who has asked for a status letter will hopefully answer your question about how to request one.

[mdbr 1]

The instructions ask you to submit a status letter, but this letter will just state that your name was not found in the registry. You will still have to explain why you didn't register. If the interviewer is convinced you'll be approved. If not you will need to reapply when you are 31.

Call SSS and make sure that you were never registered; you may have been automatically registered at some point.

Someone who has asked for a status letter will hopefully answer your question about how to request one.

I will call tomorrow, hopefully that has been the case.

The "irony" of me fixing my selective service status, is that one of the reasons I'm applying for US citizenship is so I can join the Air Force reserve.

I could enlist now as permanent resident, and have a much easier naturalization process, however I will only be elegible for one job, and not the one I'd like to apply to. My wife is currently on active duty with the USAF. Hopefully by having spouse in the military, and since I'm planning on enlisting will help my chances at the interview.

[Done--Really 331]

Fingers crossed for you !!

Also try this link -- it is not 100% accurate in that we have seen many folks showing up online as not found when they were actually registered, but it is worth a try.

https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfVerification.aspx

Edited April 5, 2015 by AlmostDoneWhew

[mdbr 1]

Fingers crossed for you !!

Also try this link -- it is not 100% accurate in that we have seen many folks showing up online as not found when they were actually registered, but it is worth a try.

https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfVerification.aspx

Thanks for sending this link, unfortunately it didn't come up anything under my info. I will give them a call tomorrow to confirm, but I have already filled out the form to request for a letter and have it in an envelope ready to mail it to SSS tomorrow.

[Hypnos 6,576]

It will depend upon what status you were in between the ages of 18 and 26 as to whether you were required to register or not. If you maintained a lawful nonimmigrant status until you were at least 26 then you were not obligated to register. If you went out of status at any time before the age of 26 then yes, you were required to register.

[raven52 233]

If you were living here, during those periods of age, how did you not know, you might be required to register for Selective Service??

You seem like a good person, and I wish you well, and hope you do not have to wait until you are 31 to petition.

[Hypnos 6,576]

Plenty of people don't know about it and didn't register; I didn't.

It's a ridiculously antiquated system anyway, that is somehow legal despite being clearly discriminatory against men. It should be scrapped.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Hypnos

[mdbr 1]

It will depend upon what status you were in between the ages of 18 and 26 as to whether you were required to register or not. If you maintained a lawful nonimmigrant status until you were at least 26 then you were not obligated to register. If you went out of status at any time before the age of 26 then yes, you were required to register.

I was out of status throughout that whole period, so all the odds are agaisnt me.

If you were living here, during those periods of age, how did you not know, you might be required to register for Selective Service??

You seem like a good person, and I wish you well, and hope you do not have to wait until you are 31 to petition.

Though I knew what selective service was (I did mine with my birth country Brazil when I turned 18), I had no idea that even though I was undocummented I was required to register. Frankly, I still don't see how could that even be possible if I had no social security at the time.

Anyway, I would like to hear from people were not registered, how your experience was at the interview, thanks.

[Hypnos 6,576]

Then yes, you were required to register.

In most cases you get denied for failing the good moral character requirement of the N-400, by failing to register for SS. I have seen a couple of cases where people still managed to get approval by submitting an abundance of evidence relating to their good moral character, such as letters from ministers of religion, from charities they volunteer at, schools, etc.

After five years (or three, if filing based on marriage to a US citizen) the failure to register for SS now falls outside the "good conduct" period, and so ceases to be a basis for your denial. It's up to you whether you want to try and file during the period where the SS registration failure could be held against you.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Hypnos

[mdbr 1]

After five years (or three, if filing based on marriage to a US citizen) the failure to register for SS now falls outside the "good conduct" period, and so ceases to be a basis for your denial. It's up to you whether you want to try and file during the period where the SS registration failure could be held against you.

Thanks for the info. I'm applying based on marriage to a US Citizen (3 year rule), and it's been 3 years since I was 26, (I'm 29 and a half now) so does that mean the period where I could be denied has ceased? Also, does the fact that my wife is in active duty in the military could help me anyhow?

[Hypnos 6,576]

Then yes, you should be good.

Your wife being active-duty US military certainly cannot hurt.