Can I apply for citizenship even if I did not register for selective service? 13 Answers as of November 30, 2011

Yes, but you will need to provide an explanation for why you did not register.

You are required to apply for selective service between the ages of 18 and 26 are required to register for selective service. Failure to register for selective service is considered by USCIS to be a bar to good moral character if an individual knowingly fails to register. However, the requirement for good moral character is five years prior to the application. Since you are now 35 years old, it has been 9 years since you were required to register and your failure to do so is outside the 5 year period during which you must establish good moral character. For that reason, it will not be a bar to naturalization for you and you can apply for citizenship if you meet the other requirements.

It depends on why you did not register for Selective Service. You should contact an immigration law attorney and explain why you did not register.

Yes. The penalty for failure to register ends at age 31.

You should be able to apply for naturalization with no problem. Normally, not registering for selective service between the age of 18 to 26 is considered bad moral character and would prevent a person from qualifying for naturalization. Because you are over the age of 31 (five years after your 26 birthday) you are passed the 5 year look back period and you can apply for citizenship without the non-registration causing a finding of bad moral character.

Yes, you can but need to explain why you did not register.

Yes, you should go online now to the Selective Service website at www.sss.gov and attempt to register, you will not be allowed as you are over 25 years of age. You can print that page to supplement your naturalization application. Please note that the officer at the interview may ask why you did not register. If you were unaware of the requirement, that is typically an acceptable response.

You are still eligible for citizenship.

Yes. You can apply for citizenship without having registered for selective service. You may just need to show that your failure to register was not knowing or willful.

The answer depends upon several factors. It is a factual inquiry as to whether your failure to register for selective service was willful. I would need to know more about your immigration status and why you failed to register for selective service.