Confused with Selective service

[geroaj 46]

I am starting to fill out N400 and came across the question about Selective Service.  I came to the USA when I was 20 and I never registered because I had no idea that even without documents you were supposed to. I am 44 now and got the green card through my American Spouse. anyone here with the same situation? thanks in advance

[NikLR 13,227]

Probably not an issue anymore given your age.  

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

but you did receive a welcome to the USA letter that told you to register at the post office

and it can be a problem depending who interviews you but because u are over 26 ,  hopefully it is overlooked 

 

read this site

 

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/naturalization-eligibility-men-who-failed-register-with-the-selective-service.html

 

 

[geroaj 46]

24 minutes ago, NikLR said:

Probably not an issue anymore given your age.  

Thanks.. I looked on the Selective service website and found this..

[br9k 23]

When I applied for the green card 20some years ago, there was no letter or anything else for that matter that would tell me about the selective service. Fortunately, I had an attorney handle my application then. After the case was over, I came to his office one last time, to discuss something. Just as I was getting ready to leave, he pulled out of his desk a small postcard, shoved it towards me and said "fill this and mail out, will be important in 5 years". If not for that - I would have had no idea. 

 

Perhaps things are different now, but back then there was exactly zero information about the need to register with the selective service given out by (then)INS. 

 

In any case, as correctly noted above, those over the age of 31 y/o are excused from registration, and selective service website even conveniently provides a standard form letter to print out and bring to the USCIS.

[jamesuk113 5]

On 4/27/2019 at 4:36 PM, br9k said:

selective service website even conveniently provides a standard form letter to print out and bring to the USCIS.

 

Here is the link to the letter for anyone interested:

 

https://www.sss.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=0Ky-rgZai_Y%3d&portalid=0

 

Broader information can be found here:

 

https://www.sss.gov/Home/Men-26-and-OLDER

 

 

[nguoivietnam2019 67]

On 4/27/2019 at 7:36 PM, br9k said:

When I applied for the green card 20some years ago, there was no letter or anything else for that matter that would tell me about the selective service. Fortunately, I had an attorney handle my application then. After the case was over, I came to his office one last time, to discuss something. Just as I was getting ready to leave, he pulled out of his desk a small postcard, shoved it towards me and said "fill this and mail out, will be important in 5 years". If not for that - I would have had no idea. 

 

Perhaps things are different now, but back then there was exactly zero information about the need to register with the selective service given out by (then)INS. 

 

In any case, as correctly noted above, those over the age of 31 y/o are excused from registration, and selective service website even conveniently provides a standard form letter to print out and bring to the USCIS.

My brothers and I got to register with the help of social security office worker  some nice lady patiently helped us as we barely spoke English back then (also 2 decades ago).

[millefleur 5,046]

I read a similar case of someone on VJ who was registered with selective service the entire time and didn't even know. Try calling Selective Service to see if maybe you were automatically registered somehow and just never knew it. You can also try checking online:

 

https://www.sss.gov/Home/Verification

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

On 4/27/2019 at 4:36 PM, br9k said:

When I applied for the green card 20some years ago, there was no letter or anything else for that matter that would tell me about the selective service. Fortunately, I had an attorney handle my application then. After the case was over, I came to his office one last time, to discuss something. Just as I was getting ready to leave, he pulled out of his desk a small postcard, shoved it towards me and said "fill this and mail out, will be important in 5 years". If not for that - I would have had no idea. 

 

Perhaps things are different now, but back then there was exactly zero information about the need to register with the selective service given out by (then)INS. 

 

In any case, as correctly noted above, those over the age of 31 y/o are excused from registration, and selective service website even conveniently provides a standard form letter to print out and bring to the USCIS.

Yup, things are different now, because all the info you need to know is now widely publicized on the internet. Specifically, selective service information is on a number of official websites pertaining to becoming LPRs. We definitely knew about it in our green card process even though we have no family members who need to register. I believe it is mentioned somewhere in the DS260 too? (we did paper DS230 though)

Edited May 14, 2019 by SusieQQQ