Immigrants & Dual Nationals | Selective Service System (2024)

FAQs

Are immigrants exempt from Selective Service? ›

U.S. immigrants are required by law to register with the Selective Service System.

If required to register with Selective Service, failure to register is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or 5 years imprisonment. Also, a person who knowingly counsels, aids, or abets another to fail to comply with the registration requirement is subject to the same penalties.

U.S. dual nationals are required by law to register with the Selective Service System within 30 days of their 18th birthday, regardless of whether they live inside or outside of the U.S. Dual nationals residing outside of the U.S. can register using a foreign address here.

The requirements for exemption are: If a man is placed in a hospital, nursing home, long-term care facility, or mental institution on or before his 18^th birthday, had no breaks of institutionalization of 30 days or longer, and remained institutionalized until his 26^th birthday, he is not required to register.

Almost all men who are 18-25 years old and live in the United States must register for Selective Service. This includes: U.S. citizens (U.S. born, dual citizens, and naturalized)

Dual Citizenship. Dual citizenship in itself is not an automatic disqualifier. However, possession of dual citizenship and or the exercise of dual citizenship is a condition that could raise a security concem and may be a disqualifying factor in a personnel security clearance eligibility determination.

Originally Answered: What happens if you don't do Selective Service? From the Selective Service website. “You will not be eligible for federal student aid, federal job training, or a federal job. You may be prosecuted and face a fine of up to $250,000 and/or jail time of up to five years.”

Yes, between age 18 and 26, all males must register for Selective Service. If you fail to do so, you can be denied federal benefits such as student loans or federal jobs. One would think that that in this day and age, draft registration would be automatically accomplished by the Social Security Administration.

Any violation of the law carries a potential penalty if one is convicted. As mentioned earlier, the government has prosecuted no one for violating Selective Service law since 1986, yet hundreds of thousands of US citizens have been penalized since that time.

USCIS will deny a naturalization application when the applicant refuses to register with Selective Service or has knowingly and willfully failed to register during the statutory period.

Can undocumented immigrants join the US military? ›

The U.S. government considers you a “resident” even though you are undocumented, and even though undocumented immigrants cannot join the U.S. military. Therefore, according to the Selective Service, you should register within 30 days of your 18th birthday.

It is illegal to not sign up for the selective service. While the police won't come and arrest you if you don't, you will forfeit certain federal opportunities (government jobs, financial assistance for college, and other benefits) until you do. If you don't by the time you're 26, you'll forfeit those benefits forever.

Summary of state laws that encourage or compel registration

Alaska, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and North Dakota. States that have not currently passed legislation linking benefits to registration: Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wyoming.

Date: _____________ Dear Sir or Madam: I did not register for the Selective Service because I was not aware of this requirement. If I had known about this requirement, I would have registered. I have contacted the Selective Service about my registration, and will bring a Status Information Letter to my interview.

USCIS will deny a naturalization application when the applicant refuses to register with Selective Service or has knowingly and willfully failed to register during the statutory period.

The U.S. government considers you a “resident” even though you are undocumented, and even though undocumented immigrants cannot join the U.S. military. Therefore, according to the Selective Service, you should register within 30 days of your 18th birthday.

If you are applying for a green card, you might think, “Can green card holders get drafted for military service?” First of all, the United States no longer has a drafting military system. Joining the U.S. military is purely voluntary.

Failure to register is a felony and non-registrants may be denied the following benefits for life: State-based student loans and grant programs in 31 states. Federal job training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (formerly Workforce Investment Act) Federal (and many state and local) jobs.