I was caught as petty theft in 2010. Didn't go to jail, only on probation for one year. Too bad, it was my 1st time but they didn't let me go on diversion. The lawyer told me it'd be possible to be expunged until July 2013. However, my main concern is: Am I eligible and successful to get US citizenship with this misdemeanor? Will I get deported? Is there an exception for this? Should I start apply for US Citizenship next year? Thank you! Also, will DUI 1st offense eligible to apply for US Citizenship too?
You appear to recognize that criminal arrest matters can have significant immigration-related consequences, including on the eligibility of a Lawful Permanent Resident to apply to become a naturalized citizen. This is true regardless of whether a criminal conviction becomes expunged - many people, including some attorneys who do not practice immigration law, mistakenly believe that an expungement will make an arrest and/or a conviction meaningless for immigration purposes, but they are wrong. In order to assess whether the petty theft and the DUI may stand in the way of eligibility there really is no alternative to engaging an immigration attorney to review copies of the disposition documents for those offenses (note that court-certified copies of those documents will have to be submitted to the USCIS in the naturalization application process) and advise you about eligibilities, options and strategies. 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.
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