I know I'm asking for trouble with this, but I had no idea I had to register for Selective Services when I gor my GC. I was 25 and my employer's lawyers doing it for me never even mentioned anything about SSS. Of course, I'm too old to register now, but having my citizenship interview soon, what do I tell IO about this? What are the chances my citizenship is denied because of this?
Immigration interview and lack of registration for selective services
- Thread starter smsalto
- Start date
Miami8/2008
Registered Users (C)
If you are 31 or older,you will be fine.
Meaning what? I was 25 when I got GC... so I had 1 year (well, almost one year) to get registered. Is there some kind of "grace period" here? I heard I had to register withing a month after GC. So by saying you'll be fine do you mean I don't have to register or I won't get in trouble with IO when he find out (I'm sure he knows as I honestly said that in my N400 app)?
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
The last time you were able to register was right before your 26th birthday. So if you are 31 or older, failure to register would be outside the 5-year moral character window, and it is well established that they will not deny you for failing to register if you are at least 31 and that is the only "moral character" issue that you have.
In addition, if you got your GC in the past 8 years or so they would have (or at least they should have) registered you automatically as part of the green card process. So it is possible you were registered but didn't know about it.
In addition, if you got your GC in the past 8 years or so they would have (or at least they should have) registered you automatically as part of the green card process. So it is possible you were registered but didn't know about it.
What is the exact date when the started auto-registering?
Also, would that be a problem that I won't bring the proof that I was auto-registered? Would they automatically assume that I was autoregistered looking at my GC and finding out the exact date it was issued?
NOT TRUE
You did have to register because you were 25 when you got your GC. You cannot register after you pass 26 y.o. You should contact SSS (www.sss.gov) and get a status letter from them. If the letter says that you did not register, then you should tell them (USCIS) the truth that you did not know about it nor you had any correspondence from SSS obliging you to do so. Also, in one of the posts with the similar problem, Johnnycash has suggested a notarized letter where you explain that your failure to register was not willful.
Another important thing is that you are over 31, which means they will not even ask you about it. Jackolantern is right. All you have to do is tell them that you are over 31.
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Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
I don't know the exact date, but it started in 2000 or earlier. On the version of the I-485 form dated in 2000, it mentions the automatic registration.
However, that doesn't mean they actually registered you, as they sometimes forget.
You said you got your GC at 25, which means you must be at least 28 (if married to a US citizen for 3 years) or 30 (if using the regular 5 year rule). Are you 31 or older now? If yes, stop worrying about it.
No. You are fine Bapa. The law applies only to GC and US citizens between ages of 18 and 26. They'll calculate your age at the time you got your GC and figure it out that you did not have to register.
The law also applies to anyone who has ever gone out of status.
TheRealCanadian
Volunteer Moderator
The law also applies to illegal aliens.
I am aware of the sss requirement - "If you are an immigrant male (documented or undocumented) living in the United States, age 18 through 25, you are required to register... Non-immigrant males living in the United States on a valid visa are NOT required to register."
I just don't think this requirement is serious about "undocumented immigrant" part. I mean, common, an illegal guy would be so stupid to register and most likely get deported. It's a joke. Have you guys ever heard of this?
BTW, bapa was not out of status, based on his post.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
I don't think they expect them to register, they just put that in there so they can have another strike against them to make it easier to deport them or deny them visas, and to deny citizenship to those who managed to get a green card.