• All immigrants 14 years of age or older who have not registered before.
• Parents must register their immigrant children who are under 14 who have not been registered before.
• When an immigrant child turns 14, they need to register within 30 days of their birthday, even if they were registered before by their parent.

You do not need to register if you are not a citizen and:

• You have a green card.
• You were allowed into the U.S. on parole.
• You have a paper or electronic Form I-94, I-94W, I-95, or I-184 (even if it expired).
• You came to the U.S. with a visa.
• The government sent you a notice telling you to appear in immigration court, even if you have already received a deportation order.
• You have a work permit (even if it expired).
• You sent any application to immigration (USCIS) on forms I-485, I-590, I-687, I-691, I-698, I-700, or I-817, even if the applications were denied.
• You have a Border Crossing Card.
• Native Americans born in Canada who entered the U.S. under section 289 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
• You are a member of the Texas Band of Kickapoo Indians, and you came into the U.S. under a rule called the Texas Band of Kickapoo Act.

There are risks if you register and risks if you do not register:

If you do register:
ICE will know that you are in the U.S. and might try to detain and deport you. ICE might also charge you with a crime.

If you do not register:
If ICE finds out that you are here in the U.S., they might try to detain and deport you. ICE might also charge you with a crime. Also, the government might deny any immigration applications you submit in the future.

Registering does not protect you against criminal charges: The government could still charge you with a crime even if you do register.

These are some of the crimes the government might charge you with:

• Coming into the U.S. without permission from the government (in the last five years).
• Smuggling your children or family members (in the last five years).
• Bringing your children and other family members into the U.S. and hiding them from the government (at any time).
• Not registering even though it is required by the government (at any time).
• Not telling the government when you change your address (at any time).

It is a difficult choice to make between registering and not registering. We cannot tell you what choice to make. We can only explain the risks you face with each option.

The positives of choosing to register:

• You will not be punished for not registering.
• Your immigration applications will not be denied because you did not register.

The negatives of choosing to register:

• ICE will find out where you live, if they do not already know.
• ICE might detain you and they could take you far from your home.
• If you are detained, it might be hard to find or talk to a lawyer.
• If you have been in the U.S. for less than two years, you might be deported very quickly.
• The government might charge you with crimes.

• Make an online USCIS account.
• Fill out Form G-325R online through your account. This is the form to register with the government.
• Always carry your registration papers with you whenever you leave home.

This resource has been translated and is available for download in English and Spanish.

The information in this document has been prepared by The Legal Aid Society for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. You should not act upon any information without retaining professional legal counsel.