Self Service Registration and US citizenship, am I eligible (a different scenario)

D

deepa.m

New Member
Here are the details. Please help, any response is really appreciated

Entered US - 04/16/1999
Age when entered US - 24 Years 10 Months
Got Green Card - 11/02/2004
Age when I got GreenCard - 30 Years 5 Months

My Citizenship interview date is on 07/13/10, and in my letter I was asked to provide details of my Self Service Registration. I called the SSR number and they told me that it will take about three months to get my letter.

Now my question

1. With the details above, am I really required to get myself registered with Service?
2. If yes, do I ask for my postponement of the Interview until I got such letter?. Or
3. Do I just go with out any proof, hoping it would be OK, and that I will not be asked about it in the interview (keeping in mind my age of US entry and the age when I got my greencard)

Please help, any response is very much appreciated.

Thanks
Deepa
 
Hi Deepa,

I think you are a Female, Females are exempt from Selective Service requirements, it is only for men between the ages of 18-26 who are a US Citizen or a Permanent Resident.
If you are a male then you are still ok since you got your green card when you were 30, so do not worry at all and go to your interview.
 
Namecheckvictim is correct. They won't ask you about it, but if they do ask, which they may since it's one of the questions on the N400, you simply say that you got your green card after you turned 30 so you didn't have to register. There won't be any follow up questions.

I was also a bit over 30 when I got my green card and I won't take any letters or anything to my interview. I'm not worried about it and you shouldn't be either.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
deepa.m said:
Here are the details. Please help, any response is really appreciated

Entered US - 04/16/1999
Age when entered US - 24 Years 10 Months
Got Green Card - 11/02/2004
Age when I got GreenCard - 30 Years 5 Months

My Citizenship interview date is on 07/13/10, and in my letter I was asked to provide details of my Self Service Registration. I called the SSR number and they told me that it will take about three months to get my letter.

Now my question

1. With the details above, am I really required to get myself registered with Service?
2. If yes, do I ask for my postponement of the Interview until I got such letter?. Or
3. Do I just go with out any proof, hoping it would be OK, and that I will not be asked about it in the interview (keeping in mind my age of US entry and the age when I got my greencard)

Please help, any response is very much appreciated.

Thanks
Deepa
Click to expand...
Unless you were an out of status male before your 26 birthday you weren't required to register.
 
First things first, I am a male. So SSR is still valid.

But Thank you so much for your response namecheckvictim and Cfiler. I believe I can now go to the interview with out this letter. Also, I have proof that I have sent a request to the SSR department about the same.

Thanks again
 
deepa.m said:
First things first, I am a male. So SSR is still valid.

But Thank you so much for your response namecheckvictim and Cfiler. I believe I can now go to the interview with out this letter. Also, I have proof that I have sent a request to the SSR department about the same.

Thanks again
Click to expand...

It may make sense to carry to the interview whatever documentation showing that you were a lawful non-immigrant during your ages between 24 yrs 10 months and your 27th birthday. Since they asked for SSR info, all you need to do is prove it did not apply to you during the years in question. And I would not proactively present this unless asked specifically about the SSR info during the interview.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thankyou, Yes I will carry the documentation. And yes, I was on H1-B between the date of my entry and until I got my GC (between 24 years 10 Months and 30 years 5 Months) - This makes me a lawful non-immigrant, unless I am seriously behind on my terminology :-)
 
deepa.m said:
Thankyou, Yes I will carry the documentation. And yes, I was on H1-B between the date of my entry and until I got my GC (between 24 years 10 Months and 30 years 5 Months) - This makes me a lawful non-immigrant, unless I am seriously behind on my terminology :-)
Click to expand...

Indeed that makes you a lawful non-immigrant. Terminology test is a pass :)
 
Jackolantern said:
You are over 31, so even if you were required to register it wouldn't be an issue now.
Click to expand...

You are wrong sir, even if you are fifty years old when you are applying for your Citizenship, if you were a Permanent Resident between the ages of 18-26 and did not register with SSR, it will be a serious Road block because you did not complied with a Law. All Male US Citizens are required to register also and trust me they all do.
 
namecheckvictim said:
You are wrong sir, even if you are fifty years old when you are applying for your Citizenship, if you were a Permanent Resident between the ages of 18-26 and did not register with SSR, it will be a serious Road block because you did not complied with a Law.
Click to expand...

You are incorrect.

http://shusterman.com/naturalizationselectiveservice.html
Applicants Over 31 Years of Age

Failure to register for Selective Service will generally not prevent a man who was over 31 years of age on the day he filed his naturalization application from demonstrating that he is eligible for naturalization. Even if the applicant was required to register and the applicant's failure to register was knowing and willful, the failure occurred outside of the statutory period during which the applicant is required to establish his attachment to the good order and happiness of the United States. The INS may, of course, consider a person's conduct before the beginning of this period. INA § 101(f) (last sentence) and § 316(e). If the INS denies naturalization to a man who is at least 31, based on his failure to register with Selective Service, the decision must state explicitly the basis for finding that the failure to register warrants denial of naturalization. As a practical matter, a male applicant over 31 years of age who failed to register with Selective Service should, ordinarily, be found eligible for naturalization unless INS has other evidence, in addition to the past failure to register, that demonstrates that the applicant is not well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States.
Click to expand...
 
namecheckvictim said:
You are wrong sir, even if you are fifty years old when you are applying for your Citizenship, if you were a Permanent Resident between the ages of 18-26 and did not register with SSR, it will be a serious Road block because you did not complied with a Law. All Male US Citizens are required to register also and trust me they all do.
Click to expand...
You need to do your homework and read up on the topic instead of making unfounded statements.
 
namecheckvictim said:
Well it says GENERALLY NOT PREVENT...... and for us immigrants USCIS always takes the worst stance, if your DAO is an a-- then you are screwed, nevertheless one has to fight so why not just register.
Click to expand...

Once a male is past the age of 26, the SSS will not register him. On the bright side, I've never heard of anyone over the age of 31 being denied citizenship for failure to register with SSS. Even if your IO is an a$$ and gives you a hard time, a supervisor will not sign off on such a denial.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top