QUESTION
Will a misdemeanor 10 years ago affect my renewal and citizenship application?
Asked on Dec 09th, 2015 on Immigration - New York
More details to this question:
I will renew my permanent residency of ten years this month and later maybe in 3 months, I will apply for citizenship. Ten years ago, I have a misdemeanor. I never spent time in jail and I paid with community services.
3 ANSWERS
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Alhambra, CA
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Francis John Cowhig
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Your question requires an attorney consultation. It is not a simple question that can be answered on this type of forum. There are many factors that would need to be considered and evaluated. The short answer is that it will depend on the misdemeanor charge.
Answered on Jan 05th, 2016 at 1:43 AM
Some criminal offenses that are expressly identified as misdemeanors in the criminal statutes are treated otherwise by the USCIS, depending upon such details as the maximum punishments/sanctions that the statute authorized, the exact language used in the court's decision, etc. There really is no substitute for engaging an immigration attorney who, after learning all of the relevant information about the offense 10 years ago and the action taken by the court, could advise you about eligibility to renew your "Green Card" renewal and your eligibility to become a naturalized citizen, and could advise you about the necessary case disposition documentation needed for those application processes.
Answered on Jan 04th, 2016 at 12:24 PM
Civil Litigation Attorney serving New York, NY
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Havens & Lichtenberg PLLC
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The answer to your question depends on the conviction: some misdemeanor convictions do have serious immigration consequences, even if there was no imprisonment sentence.
Answered on Jan 04th, 2016 at 11:52 AM