Selective Service

[Ridwan 0]

Hi Currently I am 31 yrs old and eligible to apply for Naturalization. I have 2 questions

1. I got my gc when I was 21 and had no idea that I had to register for Selective service until when I started my N-400 form. So should I answer the question in the form as "No" where it asks did you live in USA anytime between 18th and 26th birthdays. Also if a person was overseas does that count?

2. I am within a 90 period to apply for citizenship, can I file form N-400 through efiling. Thanks  

[neilsqueen 433]

10 minutes ago, Ridwan said:

Hi Currently I am 31 yrs old and eligible to apply for Naturalization. I have 2 questions

1. I got my gc when I was 21 and had no idea that I had to register for Selective service until when I started my N-400 form. So should I answer the question in the form as "No" where it asks did you live in USA anytime between 18th and 26th birthdays. Also if a person was overseas does that count?

2. I am within a 90 period to apply for citizenship, can I file form N-400 through efiling. Thanks  

If you lived here in the US when between those ages, please do not lie.  It will haunt you.  You cannot under any circumstances lie to the government.  Just be honest and if questioned why you didn't register, just explain the truth to them.  Wishing you the very best and congratulations on your journey!

[Hypnos 6,578]

You may have been automatically registered with SSS by USCIS when you received your green card.

 

Visit https://www.sss.gov/Registration/Check-a-Registration/Verification-Form and see if your information can be found. Even if it isn't, it doesn't mean you aren't registered, as their online systems are notoriously unreliable. Instead, call SSS tomorrow at 1-888-655-1825 as they can perform a more thorough check of their records.

 

Under no circumstances should you lie about it.

[arken 4,197]

Like other's said, lying is definitely not an option. You cannot get the GC at 21 if you've never lived in US between 18 and 26, that's an easy catch for USCIS. 

Since you are already 31 (5 years from the upper limit of the registration period), you are still eligible for naturalization even if you failed to register for SS. You may be denied the citizenship if the officer thinks you don't have a good moral character (lying is not a good moral character). 

Get the status info from the SS, if it says you were registered, problem solved. If it says you were not registered, you can provide following to bolster your case. 

i. Status letter from SS

ii. Your sworn and signed statement mentioning that it's your innocent mistake, you did not fail to register willfully but that didn't know about registration at that time and that you came to know about the registration requirement only when you started looking for citizenship application recently. 

During the interview, if the officer asks about the SS registration, just answer truthfully. 

 

[Hypnos 6,578]

A status information letter indicating that you failed to register with SSS is no longer required when filing an N-400 when you are a man aged 31 or older. 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2017 by Hypnos