Applying for citizenship and found out was never registered in Selective Services

[SnazzyAzzers 0]

Hello,

My husband has been in the US since 2010. We completed the I-485 Adjustment of Status in 2010. As you all probably know, at the bottom of the 485 form is a statement saying we understand that by signing the form, we are giving permission for USCIS to report our info to SS and for my husband to be registered for SS. After the 485 form was accepted, we never received any communication regarding the SS and assumed all was well. I had heard that people received notices saying they 'failed to register' so since we received nothing like this, we figured all was set. I also hadn't realized there was a SS number we should have received so I wasn't waiting for that. Cut to now, we are trying to get his citizenship and when we went to get his SS number we discovered that USCIS never sent his info for registration.

Has anyone ever had the same problem (USCIS did NOT register you for SS, as explained on the 485) and how did it turn out? We spoke to SS and they said we needed to send a copy of our 485 form to them for review. This was definitely not a case of 'willfully' and 'knowingly' avoiding SS as we thought this entire time that he was registered. What are chances (typically) that USCIS will accept the 485 form as evidence in these cases?

Thanks for any info you can offer.

[Shub 78]

How old was the applicant when they entered the US as an immigrant and how old are they now?

Edited March 3, 2014 by Shub

[Hypnos 6,578]

How old was your husband when he first entered the US? What status was he in then and what statuses has he been during the time before he received his green card?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I think you are confusing social security and selective service. You can request a social security card when you get your green card. It in on you to register for selective service, failure to do so if you are a male in the ages required to registered makes you ineligble for citizenship

[Shub 78]

I think you are confusing social security and selective service. You can request a social security card when you get your green card. It in on you to register for selective service, failure to do so if you are a male in the ages required to registered makes you ineligble for citizenship

Indeed... So to avoid any confusion, let's call things as follows:

Selective Service = SSS (www.sss.gov)

Social Security = SSA (www.ssa.gov)

While there are a lot of things you can't do in the US without a social security number, you do not need one in order to become a US citizen.

So if you meant social security, that is not a concern.

If you meant selective service, then the above questions regarding the age of the applicant matter.

[SnazzyAzzers 0]

How old was the applicant when they entered the US as an immigrant and how old are they now?

He was 22 at the time and is 26 now. And apologies for the confusion, it was Selective Service, NOT Social Security Number.

[Hypnos 6,578]

And what were his status(es) between 22 and 26? How old was he on the day the I-485 was approved?

Edited March 3, 2014 by Hypnos

[SnazzyAzzers 0]

I think you are confusing social security and selective service. You can request a social security card when you get your green card. It in on you to register for selective service, failure to do so if you are a male in the ages required to registered makes you ineligble for citizenship

I understand that failure to do so makes you ineligible, but not if you can prove it was not willfully and knowingly. What are the chances that providing the copy of the 485 form, showing the understanding that USCIS would register him on our behalf, would count as evidence? It doesn't seem like this happens very often so I am not sure what the heck happened.

[SnazzyAzzers 0]

And what were his status(es) between 22 and 26? How old was he on the day the I-485 was approved?

He got his green card when he was 23, and he still has his green card now at 26. He was 23 when his I-485 was approved.

[Shub 78]

He was 22 at the time and is 26 now. And apologies for the confusion, it was Selective Service, NOT Social Security Number.

Contact the SSS to obtain a status information letter, attach a copy with your N-400, and also attach an explanation of why you did not register for Selective Service before turning 26.

[Hypnos 6,578]

That's strange that USCIS failed to register him with SS. It's possible there is some kind of error and he is registered but not coming up on their system.

Requesting a status information letter will make SS perform a more thorough check: https://www.sss.gov/instructions.html

Enclose a copy of his I-485 as they requested, plus the other information they ask for. Worst case scenario, even if he wasn't registered then he can still apply for citizenship, just not until he turns 31. With luck though he is registered and they'll be able to find his information.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Hypnos

[Shub 78]

That's strange that USCIS failed to register him with SS.

In my case, I applied of my own initiative after entering the country on a K-1 visa and before applying for adjustment of status. USCIS still registered me separately so I'm registered twice, once because I did it, once because they did it for me anyway

[Hypnos 6,578]

I think it works like sex: the more times you do it the better it gets.

[MIBEN 83]

My hubby got an info card with his green card asking him to register so he registered online...I remember reading it on the visa application and when they sent the info card we just did it. We never expected them to do it automatically. Sorry I am of no help and this can be fixed.

[midge and isi 8]

That's strange that USCIS failed to register him with SS. It's possible there is some kind of error and he is registered but not coming up on their system.

Requesting a status information letter will make SS perform a more thorough check: https://www.sss.gov/instructions.html

Enclose a copy of his I-485 as they requested, plus the other information they ask for. Worst case scenario, even if he wasn't registered then he can still apply for citizenship, just not until he turns 31. With luck though he is registered and they'll be able to find his information.

I agree on the 31- it will be easier at that point.

Immigration does not register them for Selective Service---