Can I defer military service while on DACA status?
I came to the U.S. at a very young age and am not very fluent in Korean, and my entire family lives in the U.S.
I need to travel abroad for work and need a passport, but my passport renewal is currently unavailable. However, due to my family’s financial situation, I can’t go to Korea for military service right now.
I do intend to serve eventually. Since I can’t renew my passport, international travel is difficult — I’d like to know what options exist to obtain a passport in this situation.
Here’s an idea you could try:
1. Obtain a green card in the U.S. (This is possible even on DACA status — please contact our office if you’d like help with this.)
2. After getting your green card, apply for a military service deferment. As a U.S. green card holder, you can apply for a deferment.
3. Once the deferment is granted, apply for your passport.
This approach can lead to getting your passport reissued, but I can’t guarantee 100% success — it’s case by case.