ANG isang lawful permanent resident (LPR) o green card holder na nasa pagitan ng 18 hanggang 26 taon gulang ay kailangan magrehistro para sa Selective Service at magpakita ng ebidensiya ng pagrehistro para sa kanyang N-400 Application for Naturalization. Ayon sa USCIS Policy Manual, ang isang aplikante para sa naturalization ay kailangang magpakita na siya ay sumusunod ay nagpapatuloy na sumusunod sa mga prinspyo at adhikain ng US Constitution at nagnanais ng magandang kaayusan at kaligayahan ng US sa loob ng panahong nauukol ayon sa batas o sa statutorily prescribed period. Ang isang aplikante para sa naturalization na tumanggi sa pagrehistro, o kaya ay may buong kaalaman at pagsadyang hindi nagrehistro para sa Selective Service ay nagpapakita na wala sa kanyang disposisyon ang magandang kaayusan at kaligayahan ng US, hindi siya naniniwala sa mga adhikain ng US Constitution, at ayaw niyang magdala ng sandata para sa US. Ang hindi pagrehistro para sa Selective Service ay may epekto rin sa determinisyon ng good moral character ng LPR.
Ang pagrehistro sa Selective Service ay kailangang gawin ng LPR sa loob ng 30 araw pagkalipas ng kanyang ika-18 na kaarawan hanggang sa kanyang ika-26 na kaarawan. Ang aplikante ay maaaring magrehistro para sa Selective Service ng personal sa kanyang lokal na post office, maaari rin ito sa pamamagitan ng pagmail ng Selective Service registration card, o kaya ay online sa website ng Selective Service System. Ang naturalization application ay hindi aaprubahan ng USCIS kung ang aplikante ay tumanggi sa pagrehistro, o may buong kaalaman at pagsasadya na hindi magrehistro para sa Selective Service sa loob ng statutory period. Ang USCIS officer ay maaaring humingi sa aplikante ng magbigay ito na status information letter at registration acknowledgment card bago magbigay ng desisyon na ang LPR ay hindi nga nagrehistro. Ang status information letter ay magsasaad kung kinakailangang magrehistro ng aplikante at kung ang pagrehistro ay nagawa niya. Kung ang aplikante ay wala pang 26 taon gulang, siya ay ineligible para sa naturalization. Kung ang aplikante ay nasa pagitan ng 18 hanggang 26 taon gulang, maaaring siya ay ineligible para sa naturalization. Bibigyan ng USCIS ng oportunidad ang aplikante para ipakita na (1) hindi niya alam na siya ay kailangang magrehistro, (2) hindi niya sinasadyang hindi magrehistro, o (3) hindi niya kailangang magrehistro para sa Selective Service.
Ang aplikante para sa naturalization na higit na sa 31 taon gulang ay eligible na para sa naturalization kahit hindi sila nakapagrehistro para sa Selective Service. Ito ay dahil ang hindi pagrehistro ay nasa labas na ng statutory period kung saan kailangan niyang magpakita na siya ay may good moral character at naghahangad ng magandang kaayusan at kaligayahan ng US. Maliban dito, ang aplikante na higit sa 31 taon gulang ay hindi kailangang magpakita o kumuha ng status information letter mula sa Selective Service para sa kanyang naturalization application.
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A lawful permanent resident (LPR) between the age of 18 to 26 years old is required to register for Selective Service and provide proof for purposes of filing his N-400 Application for Naturalization. ccording to USCIS Policy Manual, an applicant for naturalization must show that he has been and continues to be attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States during the statutorily prescribed period. An applicant who refused or knowingly and willfully failed to register for Selective Service negates his disposition to the good order and happiness of the United States, attachment to the principles of the Constitution, good moral character, and willingness to bear arms on behalf of the United States.
Registration with the Selective Service must be within 30 days of the 18th birthday but not after reaching 26 years of age. Applicants may register for Selective Service at their local post office, return a Selective Service registration card received by mail, or online at the Selective Service System website. USCIS will deny a naturalization application when the applicant refuses to register with the Selective Service or has knowingly and willfully failed to register during the statutory period. The USCIS officer may request the applicant to submit a status information letter and registration acknowledgment card before concluding that the applicant failed to register. The status information letter will indicate whether a requirement to register existed. If the applicant is below 26 years of age and did not register with Selective Service, he is ineligible for naturalization. If the applicant is between 26 and 31 years old, he may be ineligible for naturalization. USCIS will allow the applicant an opportunity to show that he did not knowingly or willfully fail to register, or that he was not required to do so.
Applicants for naturalization who are over 31 years of age are eligible for naturalization even if they knowingly and willfully failed to register. This is because the applicant’s failure to register is outside the statutory period during which he must show that he is of good moral character and disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States. Also, since an immigrant who is 31 years old or older is eligible for naturalization even if he knowingly and willfully failed to register, he should not be asked to obtain a status information letter from Selective Service.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
Please visit our office: LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM
3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Call or text us: (213) 381.5710
Email us: [email protected].
