Selective Service System

[haiti 0]

IN Part 10 and section G # 33 of the N400 application :

Are you a male who lived in the United States at any time between your 18th and 26th birthdays in any status except as a lawful nonimmigrant?

... If you answered "YES" but you did not Register with the SS and you are now 25 years old or order, attach a statement explaining why you did not register.

In my case I did not know that at all and in a few month I will applying for citizenship! Am I in big trouble? How do I explain to them I did not know about it?

Thanks for your help!

I have seen some previous posting about this topic but the answers were very confusing!

Thanks guy for your help on this topic

Edited July 31, 2008 by haiti

[tallcoolone 102]

If you are a U.S. Male age 18 to 25, you are required by law to register for the Draft.

If not many penalty comes with it, and rightly so.

It's also your duty as an American Citizen

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/defenseandse.../a/draftreg.htm

[haiti 0]

I am pretty sure there is a way to prove you did not know about it! If you did not wilfully choose not to register. Anybody has been in this situation before?

Thanks!

If you are a U.S. Male age 18 to 25, you are required by law to register for the Draft.

If not many penalty comes with it, and rightly so.

It's also your duty as an American Citizen

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/defenseandse.../a/draftreg.htm

[haiti 0]

Thanks for your answer but it was not complete at all. There is more specification that is not too popular. I 30 and I am applying for citizenship based on my marriage with a US citizen ( I don't think I mentionned that before) I found the answer for myself and want to post it for whoever is in the same situation as I am. Here is an aticle I found:

NATURALIZATION AND THE SELECTIVE SERVICE

In general, all men ages 18 to 25 present in the U.S. (regardless of citizenship or immigration status) are required to register for the U.S. Selective Service. Men who are in the U.S. in valid nonimmigrant status (i.e. on a student or visitor’s visa) while age 18 to 25 are not required to register. Registering for the Selective Service does not mean that you will automatically be called to serve in the military.

Naturalization applicants are supposed to show good moral character for the five years before their application is filed (or three years, if applying based on marriage to a U.S. citizen). USCIS (formerly called INS) says that men who were required to register for the Selective Service but “knowingly and willfully” did not register during the five (or three) years before applying to naturalize can’t show good moral character. Many people don’t know about the requirement to register for the Selective Service, and therefore don’t register. If you are applying to naturalize, please review the following about the Selective Service requirement:

If you are a man but were not in the U.S. while age 18 to 25, or if you are a woman: you do not need to worry about this requirement.

If you are a man now over age 25 and registered for the Selective Service between the ages of 18 and 25: You can go to the Selective Service web site (www.sss.gov), enter your name, Social Security number, and birth date, and make a print out showing that you registered. Or you can call (847) 688-6888 or (847) 688-2576 to get proof that you registered. You should submit this with your naturalization application.

If you are a man now age 18 to 25 present in the U.S. and thinking about applying to naturalize: You should make sure you have registered for the Selective Service and show proof that you registered when you submit your naturalization application. See the Selective Service contact information above. NOTE: if your beliefs prevent you from serving in the military, you still need to register for the Selective Service, but if you are called to serve in the military, you can explain why your beliefs prevent you from serving.

If you are a man and were in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 25 but did not register for the Selective Service, see what you should do if thinking about naturalizing based on which of the following three categories applies to you:

If you are now under age 31 (or 29, if applying based on marriage to a U.S. citizen) and you didn’t register because you didn’t know about the requirement: you can probably still apply to naturalize, but you should submit a statement saying that you didn’t know about the requirement and your failure to register for the Selective Service was not knowing and willful. You should try to register now but probably won’t be able to.

If you are now under age 31 (or 29, if applying based on marriage to a U.S. citizen) and you didn’t register even though you knew about the requirement: you should get legal assistance before applying.

If you are over age 31 (or 29, if applying based on marriage to a U.S. citizen): you can probably still apply to naturalize without explaining why you didn’t register, as long as you didn’t do anything in the past five (or three if applying based on marriage to a U.S. citizen) years that affects your good moral character (such as a crime, not paying child support, etc.).

Source: www.immigrantlawcentermn.org/homepage/citizenship_day/Site_Materials/StationII/SS_Summary.doc

You can click or copy and paste this link as well: http://www.lawhelp.org/documents/200491Nat...tateabbrev=/WA/

[Sylvia_n_Joseph 3]

You can try explaining that you didn't know , but it is a requirement and is a reason for denial if you didn't register. Good luck

[KyngSilva 0]

Haiti

Go to the SSS.gov website and apply for a Status Information Letter. The USCIS does not tell you when you become a resident that you need to apply to the SSS. I had the same thing happen to me and was unaware of the SSS till I applied for financial aid. So to make a long story short, I have applied for my citizenship, they sent me a form back asking me to get a Status Information Letter from the SSS. I don't see why they would deny my case based on not knowing about the SSS. It's not like they advertised it all over the place or something that everybody talks about. It is required, but they cannot deny you based on you not being aware of it. And if they deny you, you can appeal it. This is the US!!!

[NickD 203]

When my wife and daughter received both their conditional and ten year green cards, a brochure was included with the envelop informing of their obligations as a lawful permanent resident. Being a paranoid natural born US citizen, was easy to just toss that brochure, but sat my wife and daughter down at the kitchen table and read it to them. One of the requirements was to register for the selective service system if they were males between the ages of 18 and 25, just smiled and said to my wife, not only are you a female, (thank God, would hate to be married to a male), but you are over 25. Daughter was in that age group, with a comment like, there are some advantages to being a female.

So didn't you receive that brochure? Only thing in that envelope as recall was a thicker piece of paper with cuts in it for the green card, that you are suppose to save in case you lose your card, the green card, and that brochure. Still have that in my files, but with USC, one less thing to worry about.

If you did get that brochure, can't really say you weren't informed.

Here again we have many different agencies to deal with, with my own US born sons, each received a thin postcard in the mail, we know you live at this address, your date of birth, your SS number, but if you do not acknowledge this card, sign and return it, you can get something like one year in prison and/or up to a $10,000 fine as I recall. Thought it was stupid as they already knew everything about my sons. Even wondered what would happen if that returned card got lost in the mails, was prepaid, boys had just to sign, date, and return it. Did think about sending it back registered mail with a return receipt, but not that paranoid, yet.

[akdiver 3]

If it isn't, it should not only be a grounds for a lifetime bar to citizenship, but an immediate deportation and lifetime ban on re-entry.

And no, "ignorance of the law" is not a defense.

Edited September 24, 2008 by akdiver

[john_and_marlene 162]

If you enter the country with an immigrant visa, you completed a ds230. When you sign the ds230 in front of the consular officer, you also register for SSS. Look at the statement you are signing.

One of the clauses is: "I understand that completion of this form by persons required by law to register with the Selective Service System (males 18 through 25 years of age) constitutes such registration in accordance with the Military Selective Service Act."

If you enter as an nonimmigrant and adjust status and were between 18 - 25 you are probably already registered too. Above where you sign is the statement:

"I understand that my filing this adjustment-of-status application with U.S. Citizenship and

Immigration Services authorizes USCIS to provide certain registration information to the Selective Service System in accordance

with the Military Selective Service Act. Upon USCIS acceptance of my application, I authorize USCIS to transmit to the Selective

Service System my name, current address, Social Security Number, date of birth, and the date I filed the application for the purpose of

recording my Selective Service registration as of the filing date. If, however, USCIS does not accept my application, I further

understand that, if so required, I am responsible for registering with the Selective Service by other means, provided I have not yet

reached age 26."

If you immigrate or adjust status before you are 18 you are required to register when you are eligible. Not registering is a reason to deny citizenship.

[haiti 0]

I have no clue what paper I signed or not on what form do you think this clause would be exactly?

I am not worried now anyway, cause I am outside of the statutory age requirement since my wife is a US Citizen. We've been married for 4 years now and I am over the age of 29. I do not think they should not give me any problem as long as I do not have any record with the police.

If you enter the country with an immigrant visa, you completed a ds230. When you sign the ds230 in front of the consular officer, you also register for SSS. Look at the statement you are signing.

One of the clauses is: "I understand that completion of this form by persons required by law to register with the Selective Service System (males 18 through 25 years of age) constitutes such registration in accordance with the Military Selective Service Act."

If you enter as an nonimmigrant and adjust status and were between 18 - 25 you are probably already registered too. Above where you sign is the statement:

"I understand that my filing this adjustment-of-status application with U.S. Citizenship and

Immigration Services authorizes USCIS to provide certain registration information to the Selective Service System in accordance

with the Military Selective Service Act. Upon USCIS acceptance of my application, I authorize USCIS to transmit to the Selective

Service System my name, current address, Social Security Number, date of birth, and the date I filed the application for the purpose of

recording my Selective Service registration as of the filing date. If, however, USCIS does not accept my application, I further

understand that, if so required, I am responsible for registering with the Selective Service by other means, provided I have not yet

reached age 26."

If you immigrate or adjust status before you are 18 you are required to register when you are eligible. Not registering is a reason to deny citizenship.

[KyngSilva 0]

Haiti,

I wouldn't worry either. People on this forum sometimes love the doom and gloom.

P.S. akdiver It's not Ignorance of the Law. It's one thing when you drive recklessly with total disregard for the law, and plead ignorance to the speed limit. I personally did not know, I got no notice from the SSS or the INS. Not everybody that comes to this country knows every bloody rule that is out here. That is why the SSS.gov has a Status Information Letter so you can fill it out. That's why they have an appeals process if the appeal does not work. That's why we come to this country because it's fair and it knows not everybody will be on the same page, ESPECIALLY since they were not notified. Stop the hate and start helping people out. He asked a question and needed help, not for you to say he/she should be banned from re-entry. That's just bloody awful!!!

I said my piece, now I will get off my soap box!

[akdiver 3]

P.S. ...I personally did not know

Um, not knowing about something is ignorance of that something - by definition.

[KyngSilva 0]

P.S. ...I personally did not know

Um, not knowing about something is ignorance of that something - by definition.

-sigh

Yup your correct not knowing something is ignorance. But my ignorance will still get me my citizenship. I just hope your ignorance someday doesn't come to bite you in the rear. Again like my last post, people come here for advice, not hate and be told they should be banned from re-entry.

[akdiver 3]

Again like my last post, people come here for advice, not hate and be told they should be banned from re-entry.

Wow. Talk about taking things personally.

[haiti 0]

Yeah. That's the beauty of this country, they at least give you the chance to explain yourself and to appeal. I am going to go ahead and get the status information letter from SSS and then wait. I am pretty confident that The US is looking for people with good moral character to be Citizen ans as long I can prove to the Adjucator/ immigration officer that I am a good person with good moral character, I will be alright.

I do agree that doom and loom thing is a little too easy to write. They are not out there to ban you on something and this is what makes America stands out. I do appreciate all your inout though. You guys have no ideas how many people did not know about this requirement. So let's share what happened to us and help each other positively.

Though I welcome each and everyone's opinion, I do carefully select which makes more sense. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse but in this case an explantion with proof is all that is needed. Thanks to God I am past the statutory age for my age which is 31 and 29 for LPR married with a US citizen. NOw this basically the confirmation of this last statement I am looking for.

Thanks and God bless!!!

Again like my last post, people come here for advice, not hate and be told they should be banned from re-entry.

Wow. Talk about taking things personally.