Is It Possible To Register For Selective Service After 26

Registering for the Selective Service

Themes/Topics: Law & Policy

Geography: National

Audience: Undocumented Youth

What is the Selective Service and do I need to register?

The Selective Service System (SSS) allows the federal government to go on a list of all men or people assigned male at nascency (AMAB) who would be available to serve as soldiers in the U.S. Armed Forces in the consequence that a mandatory draft became necessary. According to federal police force, all men permanently living in the U.South., regardless of immigration status, between the ages of 18 and 26, must register for the Selective Service and should register within 30 days of their 18th birthday. A Social Security Number is not required to annals.

Preview of Selective Service registration form

It is of import to annals for the Selective Service even if y'all are undocumented because it could touch on your future application for citizenship. To larn more than about how and why failure to annals could negatively impact your citizenship application, come across this ILRC do advisory.

Are there any risks in registering for Selective Service?

Registering for the SS does provide the federal government with your proper name and address, and so the government can contact you in the event of a mandatory draft. However, there has not been whatever blazon of mandatory draft since the 1970s. This ways that the SSS has never used those names to force people to fight with the U.Due south. Military machine. Nevertheless, all men or AMAB people inside that age range are even so required to register.

In regards to sharing someone's clearing status, the SSS states:

They have not at present, nor in the past collected or shared any information which would betoken a human being's immigration status, either documented or undocumented. The selective service arrangement has no authority to collect such data, has no use for it, and it is irrelevant to the registration requirement. Consequently, at that place is no immigration data to share with anyone.

How do I register?

Every bit an undocumented male or AMAB person, you must register for Selective Service by mail. Yous should non try to register online at the sss.gov website. Follow these steps instead:

Impress and fill up out this printable postcard and postal service it to the SSS. This postcard is available at your local U.S. Mail service Offices and at sss.gov. Be sure to attach appropriate postage. When you lot mail the postcard, become a "proof of mailing" from the Post Office. That way, fifty-fifty if your carte gets lost or not properly added to the SSS, you tin prove in a futurity citizenship awarding that you complied with the registration requirement. This will serve equally proof that you sent in your Selective Service registration.

How long does the process take?

Selective Service registration processing takes 1 to 2 months. Information technology'south of import to begin the process as soon every bit possible after turning eighteen. One time you accept been successfully registered, the government will mail you a Selective Service Registration Card. If you do not receive a menu within that time frame, contact the SSS. Be certain to go on a re-create of this carte because you lot might be required to show it subsequently on.

Sample image showing registration acknowledgement of Selective Service registration. — Sample of Selective Service registration acknowledgement letter.

How exercise I provide proof that I registered for Selective Service?

You lot tin can verify that you successfully registered for the Selective Service by providing a copy of your Selective Service Registration Card.

If I register for Selective Service, does that mean I'thou eligible to serve in the U.South. Armed forces?

The SSS does non determine whether a person is eligible to become a U.S. Armed forces service member. See: united states.gov/join-military for details. Generally, simply U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (people with greenish cards) are allowed to serve in the U.S. military. In that location have been limited exceptions to this rule, such equally the MAVNI program which is not currently active. So fifty-fifty if at that place were a future typhoon from the SSS, there would have to be another modify in constabulary or policy to allow undocumented people to serve.

Registrants 26 and Older

The SSS cannot accept a registration from anyone who has already reached their 26th birthday. Therefore, if you are a male or AMAB person who is 26 or older but did not register for the Selective Service, yous are considered a "not-registrant." For more information, go to sss.gov, select "Registration," and so select " Men 26 and Older."

Registrants Nether xviii

The SSS cannot have a registration from anyone who is under 18 years onetime. Therefore, students can wait until 30 days earlier their 18th birthday and post in the Selective Service Registration Menu.

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