Tucker, GA Immigration Law Firms & Lawyers

Many people, even including skilled criminal defense attorneys, mistakenly believe that expungement of a criminal conviction will have no impact upon an immigration-related application. Instead, security background checks that are a part of immigration application processes can be expected to reveal arrests and convictions even if they have been ordered expunged by the relevant court. Beyond that, an applicant must disclose criminal arrests and convictions in the application forms, and failure to do so, even following an expungement, can have very harsh consequences. Also note that it is necessary to supply court-certified copies of arrest dispositions, and when a case has been expunged it can be quite difficult to get court-certified copies. For this reason, if a criminal defense attorney is not thoroughly familiar with the impact of criminal matters on immigration, a client should request collaboration with an immigration attorney. Domestic violence convictions may indeed bar eligibility for naturalization. It would be wise to engage an immigration attorney who, after learning all of the relevant information about that matter, could advise you about eligibility and about steps that may be available to take at this late stage to attain your goal. 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.

Immigration fraud, such as through marrying for the purpose of seeking immigration benefits (even if immigration benefits never were obtained), is considered a very serious offense and can have very harsh consequences including a permanent bar to immigration application eligibility. There really is no substitute for engaging an immigration attorney who, after learning all of the relevant facts, could advise you about potential eligibility through a new, valid, marriage and perhaps the filing of an application for a waiver of the consequences associated with the finding of past fraudulent conduct.

Most employers conduct criminal background check before employment. In your case, I would keep your employer informed of the situation. I hope the charges will be dismissed and you do not have to worry about this matter. Consult with a local criminal attorney and make sure you mention your immigration status.