When must all men register for the Selective Service?

Why This Matters

The Selective Service System is a federal agency that keeps a list of men who could be called to serve in the military if there were a national emergency. The USCIS interviewer asks this question to check that you know when men are required to register. The answer is that all men must register at age eighteen, or between eighteen and twenty-six years old.

Registering for the Selective Service does not mean you will be drafted or forced to join the military. The United States has not had a military draft since 1973. However, the registration system still exists so that the country is prepared in case of a serious crisis. All male residents of the United States, including citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented immigrants, are required to register within thirty days of their eighteenth birthday.

This requirement is important because failing to register can have real consequences. Men who do not register may be denied federal student loans, government jobs, and even citizenship. If you are a male applicant for naturalization and you did not register when you were supposed to, the USCIS officer may ask you about it. Understanding this requirement shows that you take your legal obligations seriously.

Key Facts

• All men must register for the Selective Service at age eighteen
• The registration requirement applies to men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six
• Registration does not mean you will be drafted into the military
• Failing to register can affect your eligibility for federal benefits, jobs, and citizenship
• The U.S. has not had an active military draft since 1973
• Women are currently not required to register for the Selective Service

Common Mistakes

• Saying "at age twenty-one" or any age other than eighteen, registration starts at eighteen
• Thinking Selective Service registration is the same as joining the military, it is not
• Not knowing about Selective Service at all, this is especially common among applicants from countries without a similar system

Study Tip

Link the number eighteen to two things: voting and Selective Service. At eighteen, you can vote (Question 54) and you must register for the Selective Service. Remembering that both happen at the same age makes it easier to recall either fact. Think: "Eighteen means vote and register."