Ang isang lalaking lawful permanent resident (LPR) o green card holder na nasa pagitan ng 18 hanggang 26 taon gulang ay kailangang 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 aplikante para sa naturalization ay kailangang magpakita na sa loob ng statutory period, siya ay sumusunod sa mga prinspyo at adhikain ng U.S. Constitution at nagnanais ng kaayusan at kaligayahan ng U.S. Ang aplikante para sa naturalization na tumanggi sa pagrehistro, o kaya sadyang hindi nagrehistro para sa Selective Service ay nagpapakita na wala sa kanyang disposisyon ang kaayusan at kaligayahan ng U.S. Ito rin ay nagpapakita na hindi siya naniniwala sa mga adhikain ng U.S. Constitution, at ayaw niyang magdala ng sandata para sa U.S. Ang hindi pagrehistro para sa Selective Service ay may epekto rin sa determinisyon ng good moral character ng lalaking 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 local 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 sadyang hindi nagrehistro para sa Selective Service sa loob ng statutory period. Ang USCIS officer ay mag-issue ng Request for Evidence para magbigay ang aplikante ng 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 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 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.
A male 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. According 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. A male 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 the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005).
SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 274-4561; Email: [email protected].
