How To Fill Out A Selective Service Form

Registering for the Selective Service

Themes/Topics: Law & Policy

Geography: National

Audience: Undocumented Youth

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

The Selective Service System (SSS) allows the federal government to keep a listing of all men or people assigned male at nascence (AMAB) who would be available to serve as soldiers in the U.S. Armed services in the event that a mandatory draft became necessary. According to federal law, all men permanently living in the U.S., regardless of immigration status, between the ages of 18 and 26, must register for the Selective Service and should annals inside 30 days of their 18th birthday. A Social Security Number is non required to register.

Preview of Selective Service registration form

It is of import to annals for the Selective Service even if you are undocumented considering it could touch your future awarding for citizenship. To learn more about how and why failure to register could negatively affect your citizenship awarding, run across this ILRC practise advisory.

Are in that location any risks in registering for Selective Service?

Registering for the SS does provide the federal regime with your name and address, so the government can contact you in the event of a mandatory draft. However, there has not been any type of mandatory draft since the 1970s. This means that the SSS has never used those names to force people to fight with the U.S. Armed Forces. Nevertheless, all men or AMAB people within that age range are all the same required to register.

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

They have not now, nor in the past collected or shared whatsoever information which would indicate a man's clearing status, either documented or undocumented. The selective service system has no authority to collect such information, has no use for it, and it is irrelevant to the registration requirement. Consequently, there is no immigration data to share with anyone.

How do I register?

As an undocumented male person or AMAB person, you must register for Selective Service by postal service. You should not effort to register online at the sss.gov website. Follow these steps instead:

Impress and fill up out this printable postcard and mail it to the SSS. This postcard is available at your local U.S. Post Offices and at sss.gov. Exist sure to attach appropriate postage. When you mail the postcard, get a "proof of mailing" from the Post Role. That way, even if your card gets lost or not properly added to the SSS, y'all can show in a future citizenship awarding that you complied with the registration requirement. This volition serve every bit proof that you lot sent in your Selective Service registration.

How long does the process accept?

Selective Service registration processing takes i to two months. It's important to begin the process as soon as possible later on turning 18. Once you have been successfully registered, the government will mail you lot a Selective Service Registration Carte. If you lot do not receive a carte inside that fourth dimension frame, contact the SSS. Be sure to keep a re-create of this card because you might be required to show it later on.

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

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

You can verify that you successfully registered for the Selective Service by providing a re-create of your Selective Service Registration Card.

If I annals for Selective Service, does that mean I'g eligible to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces?

The SSS does not make up one's mind whether a person is eligible to go a U.S. Armed Forces service member. See: usa.gov/bring together-military for details. Generally, only U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (people with green cards) are immune to serve in the U.South. armed services. There have been limited exceptions to this rule, such equally the MAVNI programme which is not currently active. And so even if at that place were a time to come typhoon from the SSS, there would take to be another change in police or policy to permit undocumented people to serve.

Registrants 26 and Older

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

Registrants Under eighteen

The SSS cannot accept a registration from anyone who is under 18 years old. Therefore, students can wait until 30 days earlier their 18th altogether and mail in the Selective Service Registration Card.

Back to Resource