I was 25 years and about to be 26 in a month while I entered USA. I had no idea to sign selective service. When I knew about it, it was already too late. I tried but they denied me.
In connection with an application to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, the USCIS may consider failure to timely register for the Selective Service to show a failure to obey the law or a failure to be attached to the U.S. form of government, but those considerations may be rebutted by an explanation, if accurate, that you were unaware of the requirements; that when you became aware of them you sought to register; that you had become too old to be permitted to register; and that in all respects you are law-abiding, you are attached to the U.S. form of government and that if the law were to so require you would be willing to serve in the military. It would be wise to engage an immigration attorney to represent you in the naturalization process and especially to address the failure to timely register with the Selective Service. Some immigration law firms, including mine, offer legal services on a "flat fee" basis so that a client will know the total expense from the very beginning, and a few immigration law firms, including mine, offer an initial consultation free of charge.
You are only required to register with selective service if you are a green card holder under the age of 26. If you turned 26 a month after you got your green card, it is ok if you did not register and should affect your citizenship application.
You need to submit a request for a Status Information Letter (http://www.sss.gov/Status.html) to Selective Service System. In the request, you need to describe your situation and explain to them that you did not know that you were required to register for selective service. If SSS accepts your explanation, you can submit the Status Information Letter along with your application for naturalization.
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