selective services?

[savina 0]

what is selective services?does someone need to know what it is?If the person who is applying for citizenship in few months and is not aware of the term and details does it affect the process in any way?

please let me know asap.my husband will be applying for citizenship soon and needs some help and advise.

thank you all in advance.looking forward to a speedy reply.

[payxibka 10,045]

Selective service is the process if the USA ever goes to conscripted military service. Registration required up to the age of 26.

[desert_fox 32]

All males under 27 years of age, citizens and LPRs must register with SS. It's the draft board...they induct you to military duty in the event of an national emergency, like when Canada invades North Dakota.

[savina 0]

thank u so much for ur reply.i also have been doing some reading on this topic.

what happens if the person applying for citizenship was 25yrs of age ,LPR however was not aware of this service and has not registered?whats the next stage then?will it affect citizenship?

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

thank u so much for ur reply.i also have been doing some reading on this topic.

what happens if the person applying for citizenship was 25yrs of age ,LPR however was not aware of this service and has not registered?whats the next stage then?will it affect citizenship?

He is in big trouble!

Failing to register is a big nono and could cause serious problems.

[savina 0]

hey thank you so much for your reply.what if the person was not aware and is a LPR entered the US on his 25th bday and has not applied for this service?what is the next stage?will this delay getting citizenship?

[payxibka 10,045]

If still eligible, I suppose one should register ASAP....

[jprats 0]

hey thank you so much for your reply.what if the person was not aware and is a LPR entered the US on his 25th bday and has not applied for this service?what is the next stage?will this delay getting citizenship?

Many new immigrants are not aware of this law. Did he explain that in his N-400 application? If the applicant is not registered, the Naturalization Officer will think that the applicant is not aware of the U.S. law and this can affect the applicant's being naturalized. Some people even went to court to explain their case. More likely your husband will have his case pending after his initial interview. Other people were even imprisoned for not having regsitered. I agree with the post earlier that your husband is "in big trouble".

[IrieCat 2]

My daughter's father, who is a US Citizen, never signed up for selective service out of high school. He was in ROTC and thought it was automatic (yes he is a dumba$$) .. anyhow... he decided to take some college courses this year and had a hard time because of this. However he was able to write an "excuse letter" of sorts and had it notarized and was "cleared". This might be possible if you run into problems. But if he is still eligible then I would have him sign up asap!!!

[savina 0]

yes he was not aware of this registration at all..and he is 29yrs now.he will be starting the process of applying for citizenship this month...

this certainly is a cause of worry for me now..as it is we have been away all of our years together.

what should he do now that he is aware?i read some stuff saying to call the selective services dept and inform them about your case and ask for a status letter.will that help?

what else can be done before applying?

[IrieCat 2]

yes he was not aware of this registration at all..and he is 29yrs now.he will be starting the process of applying for citizenship this month...

this certainly is a cause of worry for me now..as it is we have been away all of our years together.

what should he do now that he is aware?i read some stuff saying to call the selective services dept and inform them about your case and ask for a status letter.will that help?

what else can be done before applying?

I would say that it can't hurt. He needs to get cleared somehow.

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

unfortunately the penalties for US born citizens are not as severe as an LPR if one fails to register. Ignorence is not an excuse when it comes to the law. I have a friend that is an LPR but he has 2 strikes against him, one is that he didn't register for selective services and second he owes back child support. Both of these issues he was told could potentially cause him to be deported if he applied for citizenship.

The point is that you have to follow the laws in the US to become a citizen and if you violate any of them it can give USCIS a reason to deny and or deport you. My brother-in-law had his citizenship interview a few weeks ago and for some reason he and my sister both have been filing their taxes and single for the past 25 years they have been married. This caused a BIG problem for him. They had a friend many years ago that told them they would pay less taxes by filing this way and never thought it would be a problem. USCIS was very upset and told him that he had 3 months to fix it and scheduled a new appointment in August. I hope by them filing ammended returns for the past 5 years and pay any taxes due and penalties as directed by USCIS it resolves the issue but who knows anymore what they are capable of.

[payxibka 10,045]

unfortunately the penalties for US born citizens are not as severe as an LPR if one fails to register. Ignorence is not an excuse when it comes to the law. I have a friend that is an LPR but he has 2 strikes against him, one is that he didn't register for selective services and second he owes back child support. Both of these issues he was told could potentially cause him to be deported if he applied for citizenship.

The point is that you have to follow the laws in the US to become a citizen and if you violate any of them it can give USCIS a reason to deny and or deport you. My brother-in-law had his citizenship interview a few weeks ago and for some reason he and my sister both have been filing their taxes and single for the past 25 years they have been married. This caused a BIG problem for him. They had a friend many years ago that told them they would pay less taxes by filing this way and never thought it would be a problem. USCIS was very upset and told him that he had 3 months to fix it and scheduled a new appointment in August. I hope by them filing ammended returns for the past 5 years and pay any taxes due and penalties as directed by USCIS it resolves the issue but who knows anymore what they are capable of.

Let me understand this... an LPR can fail to register for selective service and owe back child support and live fat, dumb and happy within the USA for ever and ever... but should they apply for citizenship it can get them deported?

Edited June 3, 2008 by fwaguy

[LRA 0]

Viist http://www.sss.gov/ for more info.

What is the penalty for not registering?

If you do not register, you could be prosecuted and fined up to $250,000 and/or be put in jail for up to five years. Registration is also a requirement to qualify for Federal student aid, job training benefits, and most Federal employment.

(See also What Happens if I Don't Register?).

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

CITIZENSHIP

The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) makes registration with Selective Service a condition for U.S. citizenship if the man first arrived in the U.S. before his 26th birthday.

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

A non-registrant may not be denied any benefit if he can "show by a preponderance of evidence" that his failure to register was not knowing and willful. Offer as much evidence supporting your case, and as much detail, as possible.

Stating you didn't know you had to is not a preponderance of evidence. In the OP case, the person who did not register will most likely not be granted citizenship. If he did apply at age 29, he prob would be denied and then might be advised to re-apply after reaching the age of 31. Five years after he was last able to register for SS.

Edited June 3, 2008 by LuLu