Selective service- required?

[Chamy and Gatita 3]

My husband, a permanent resident who arrived in the US at age 37, wants to apply for a US Census job. The application form asks if he is registered for selective service, and says that he should be if he was born after 1959, which he was. The Selective Service website says that he does not need to register, because he was older than 26 when he came here. Does anyone know about this? We don't want to make a mistake. Thanks!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

If he was not in the US when he turned 26, then he was never required to register . That part of the application is actually 'not applicable' to his situation. Good luck to him.

Edited January 23, 2010 by Kathryn41

[When2RNLove 6]

My husband, a permanent resident who arrived in the US at age 37, wants to apply for a US Census job. The application form asks if he is registered for selective service, and says that he should be if he was born after 1959, which he was. The Selective Service website says that he does not need to register, because he was older than 26 when he came here. Does anyone know about this? We don't want to make a mistake. Thanks!

The Selective Service System is a means by which the United States maintains information on those potentially subject to military conscription. All males between the ages of 18 to 25 are required by law to register within 30 days of their 18th birthday As of the end of 2008, the names and addresses of over 14 million men are on file.

Edited January 23, 2010 by Mike N Julie

[featherB 1]

The Selective Service System is a means by which the United States maintains information on those potentially subject to military conscription. All males between the ages of 18 to 25 are required by law to register within 30 days of their 18th birthday As of the end of 2008, the names and addresses of over 14 million men are on file.

Why the copied-and-pasted-from-Wikipedia quote? That doesn't help answer the OP's question at all.

Anyway... like Kathryn said - the wording on the application is just not applicable to your husband, OP. The question seems to be assuming that all applicants will be USCs born and bred. Your husband did nothing wrong in not replying for selective service - is it possible for him to write "n/a" on the form and possibly include a brief explanation as to why it's not applicable?

[TBoneTX 45,580]

And, K., happy recent birthday that I obviously missed, uff man!

[Chamy and Gatita 3]

thanks everyone!

[caybee 21]

They probably won't ask for it since he was 37 when he immigrated, but if he requests it, Selective Service will issue him a status information letter free of charge for his own records. This is not required, but it's not a bad thing to have so he can include a copy with his application for the census job or other federal jobs, student loans, etc. It's an easy way to prove that he was not required to register. He can request it here.