What is Selective Services?

The Selective Service System is the system used in the United States to draft males into armed service. Although the United States currently has no draft and hasn’t had one in a long time, all males are required by law to register with the Selective Service when they reach the age of eighteen. And yes, even undocumented individuals.

Why Should I Register?

This is a valid question to ask, especially as an undocumented individual. Here’s why you should register:

-Financial Aid
In order to be eligible for state financial aid through the CA Dream Act, men must provide proof of Selective Service registration to the college or university they plan to attend.

-Citizenship before 31
If you ever get the chance to become a citizen but didn’t register with Selective Service System before age 26, you can be ineligible to become a citizen until age 31. In other words, if you did not register for Selective Services and you have a chance to apply for citizenship after you age 26 you may have to wait until you are 31 to go through with that process. Not registering may delay your naturalization process.

How Do I Register?

As an undocumented individual in California, you have a few easy options to register for the Selective Service.

1) Quickest Option: Choose the “Register Me” option on the CA Dream Application www.caldreamact.org when you are filling it out.
OR if you already submitted your application, you can update it and choose this option. Once the changes are made, be sure that your application is properly signed and re-submitted. You can check your application status on the confirmation page.

2) Fill out a postcard and mail it to the Selective Service System. This postcard is available in person at U.S. Post Offices or online on the Selective Service website www.sss.gov under “Register Now.” You do not need a social security number. When mailing your registration postcard, we suggest you get a “proof of mailing” from the Post Office to serve as proof that you sent in your selective service registration.

Are There Any Risks To Registering?

In regards to sharing someone’s immigration status, the Selective Service System states:
“The Selective Service System has not now, or in the past, collected or shared any information which would indicate a man's immigration status, either documented or undocumented. Selective Service 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.”

I’m Not 18, Can I Still Register?

Technically, you are required to register within 30 days of your 18th birthday. However, if you did not register within that time frame late registrations are accepted until your 26th birthday, just follow the registration procedures stated above. If you or someone you know immigrated to this country after the age of 18 but are younger than 26, you are still required to register.

Learn more about registering for the Selective Services here.