Prior Arrest Preventing Citizenship Application
As an experienced Morristown, New Jersey Immigration Lawyer, I was recently asked, “What happens if a prior arrest is preventing my citizenship application?”
In this case, the individual was interested in applying for citizenship but they had been arrested three times. Once was a DUI, one was for shoplifting, and one was for a speeding ticket. They were concerned that any or all of these arrests would make them ineligible for citizenship. In general, if you have a traffic violation including speeding, a minor violation, a misdemeanor or something fairly insignificant, it will also not negatively affect your citizenship application.
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However, if you were arrested for something of a grave nature like sexual assault or dealing with drugs, that could possibly have a negative impact. It is very important that you obtain all certifications in disposition for any arrests that you have had and bring them with you to the consultation when you wish to discuss your application for citizenship, that way the attorney can analyze it and tell you if anything would have a negative impact.
Thank you very much for that good question and always feel free to contact my office if you would like to discuss this type of matter or anything else related to your immigration concerns.
This informational blog post was brought to you by Susan W. Scheer, an experienced Morristown, New Jersey Immigration Lawyer.