Myharris

Just got a letter and a card in the mail today telling me thanks for joining the selective service..
What does this mean?
Thought about joining the army lately to find a meaning to my life but definitely didn't sign anything as yet.
This document has my SSN and address and everything.
can anyone please shed some light on this as its worrying my wife who opposes the military contary to my belief.

Noorah101

You did not enroll in the selective service once you arrived in the USA? How old are you - or how old were you when you arrived in the USA? Do you have an immigration attorney working on your case who perhaps did it for you?

See here for more details: http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/selsvc.htm

Best Wishes,
Rene

Myharris

I am 22 in October, don't have an attorney...

Noorah101

That's odd. Selective Service is something you are supposed to register for...I don't think it gets done automatically. Although it seems that you do qualify, based on your age. At any rate, it was required, so nothing to worry about. It's good it got done...if you don't do it, it affects your citizenship later.

Rene

Rich Wales

"Myharris" wrote:

> Just got a letter and a card in the mail today
> telling me thanks for joining the selective
> service.. What does this mean?

"Selective Service" is a registration program intended to keep
track of American men who are at least 18, but not yet 26.

"Selective Service" does NOT mean you've joined the armed forces,
or that you're going to be forced into the armed forces. There
is NOT currently any mandatory military service in the US. That
is, no one is being drafted (conscripted) right now. In fact,
no one has been drafted in the US since 1973, and there are no
indications at all that a resumption of the draft is likely to
happen at any time in the foreseeable future.

However, the law requires a registry to be maintained of people
who COULD POTENTIALLY be drafted IF (and ONLY if) Congress were
to decide to reinstate conscription at some future time.

All male US citizens who are at least 18, but not yet 26, are
required by law to register with Selective Service. In addition,
male permanent residents ("green card" holders) in this age range
are also required to register. Most non-immigrant men who are in
the US only temporarily are NOT required to register (though a
few exceptions exist -- including the bizarre requirement that
"illegal" alien men must register).

Sometimes, men who are accepted for permanent residence in the US
are automatically registered with Selective Service by the USCIS.
It sounds to me like this probably what happened in your case.
If a man doesn't get registered automatically in this way, he is
expected to register on his own -- either online (www.sss.gov),
or by filling out and mailing a special form available at US post
offices.

Male immigrants who don't get registered for Selective Service
may run into trouble when they apply for US citizenship. This
won't be a problem for you, though, because you've already been
registered now.

But in any case, the letter you received definitely DOES NOT mean
you've signed up for the army. So you and your wife don't need
to worry about it -- though you should hang on to the card in
case you're asked (by the USCIS, other government agency, school
financial aid department, etc.) to prove that you've registered.

Rich Wales [email protected] http://www.richw.org/dualcit/
*DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer, professional immigration consultant,
or consular officer. My comments are for discussion purposes only and
are not intended to be relied upon as legal or professional advice.

meauxna

Really?

Does I-485 ring a bell?

jamie_nluv

Welcome to the US. Now you are elligible to be sent to die in Iraq if we draft you. Failure to comply will result in jail time or worse. Anyhow, just hold on to your other Citizenship and if you ever get drafted just move back home and your other country should protect you from the US... Good reason to keep Dual Citizenship!

Rete

Rene

It is done automatically by some DO. Unfortunately it is not automatic for all of them otherwise a lot of men who later go to naturalize wouldn't find themselves in the position of not being able to under 3/5 years later.

Rete

ian-mstm

Not we... Congress. Geez, you're Mr. Happy tonight, eh?


That would depend on how they feel about draft dodgers! It might be safer to stay in the US. Hey, while I'm thinking about it... if it wasn't for the draft dodgers in the 60s, Simon Fraser University in B.C. wouldn't have been built.

Ian

jamie_nluv

hehe. I was making a political opinion I know. But seriously, I am curious... if you maintain both citizenships then I would suspect that your home country would welcome you home and not recognise your US Citizenship unless you gave your home citizenship up. In that case I doubt they would require you to return to the US to fight in a war that may or may not be politically sound overseas.

Myharris

Thanks alot for your help..
think they might have automatically registered me when i pass my driving test 2 months ago.
If the U.S treats me good I can fight for them if need be.
Should I include the selective service letter in my folder for my AOS interview in 2 weeks?

evanio1978

Foreign nationals living in the United States cannot be drafted into the US Army under any circumstance.

However if you have US Citizenship it's another story.

I for one will never get US Citizenship but love living in the US.

ian-mstm

This is absolutely not true. With only a few exceptions *all* foreign nationals are required to sign up for selective service if they fit the criteria. http://www.sss.gov/FSwho.htm.


Oh, so you enjoy being a parasite?

Ian

ian-mstm

Yes, as best as I can determine, this is true... as long as you are *in* your home country at the time. If you're in the US, you cannot hind behind your citizenship in another country in an effort to evade US law.

This brings up an interesting scenario which actually happened. When the US declared war on Japan in 1941, some Japanese USCs, in an effort to avoid being rounded up by the US government, left the US to return to Japan. In Japan they found themselves immediately inducted in the armed forces and sent to war against the US - even while members of their family remained in the US. Dreadful situation to be in, I think.

So, sometimes it's better to be in detention in the US! Anyway, IMHO, all war is a crime.

Ian

Maggs

HI

My son had his letter sent to him also without registering for it. He was 19 when he received his letter. It was shortly after he got his EAD and SSN and driving license. I wondered if it was an automatic thing on getting a SSN maybe or like you say when you passed your driving test?

When we had our interview for our IR1/2 the Consular Officer said he shouldn't have received a selective service letter until he becasme a permanent resident. It seems that it's different from state to state.

Maggie