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Criminal convictions getting into the us

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Nick1983

Hi everyone my mother is going to file for me to move to the US as she lives in Florida with her American husband. I have a 14 year clean police record with miner stuff. I have a crazy x that filed a harrasment charge against me that I have to go court for and I'm freaking out about it should I be worried and has anyone got any advice on this matter ?
Thanks

twostep

Clean and minor "stuff" is not the same.  Harassment is also a wide range.
Depending on your mother's legal status in the US and your age and marital status she can petition for your Green Card. You have not given enough information to go by.  The option of a waiver for convictions is available but again it depends on the conviction and is time consuming.

Nick1983

The charge harrasment that I have to go court for was her mainly saying I was bothering her through phone contact.

Nick1983

Also I'm 34 and single.

TominStuttgart

Good luck with that! Under Trump they are getting rid of foreigner’s right and left. And not just from 3rd world countries. I personally know an English citizen who got deported in the last year despite being married to an American and living for decades in the States. He never got properly documented and now it is too late. The problem was that he had had been caught with a joint or two in England some decades back. The charges got dropped but he still had an arrest (but no conviction) for drug charges on his record. Because of this he could never get legal residency. And like I said, he is married to an American and I believe he has at least one child born in the States. One can rationalize all they want about the seriousness of their criminal record but in certain categories the American authorities will have zero tolerance. In the end I guess all one can do is apply for a visa and see if it works out – but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t.

Nick1983

But you said he never got documented properly and I was only charged with taking candy as a miner under the age of 21 before. I guess every case is diffant and my mother and stepfather are hiring a imagration legal team that could work in my favour and unlimited funds to get it done.

TominStuttgart

Nick1983 wrote:

But you said he never got documented properly and I was only charged with taking candy as a miner under the age of 21 before. I guess every case is diffant and my mother and stepfather are hiring a imagration legal team that could work in my favour and unlimited funds to get it done.


You are confusing the documention of legal residency with that of an arrest. He did not get legal residency - thus no documentation. And legal age is America is 18 not 21. Anything over the age of 18 will be seen as an act as an adult. Some charges as a minor (under 18) might disappear - but even this is not sure. Depends again on the age and severity of the charge. Probably stealing a candy bar at age 11 will not matter but stealing a car at 16 will.

twostep

TominStuttgart wrote:
Nick1983 wrote:

But you said he never got documented properly and I was only charged with taking candy as a miner under the age of 21 before. I guess every case is diffant and my mother and stepfather are hiring a imagration legal team that could work in my favour and unlimited funds to get it done.


You are confusing the documention of legal residency with that of an arrest. He did not get legal residency - thus no documentation. And legal age is America is 18 not 21. Anything over the age of 18 will be seen as an act as an adult. Some charges as a minor (under 18) might disappear - but even this is not sure. Depends again on the age and severity of the charge. Probably stealing a candy bar at age 11 will not matter but stealing a car at 16 will.


OP stated that he is 34 and his mother living in FL with her US husband.  That lead me to assume she is a Green Card holder. It would be nice to have clarification on her status as this determines processing times; see travel.state.gov visa bulletin.
Juvenile records are not necessarily closed. Petite theft may or may not require filing a waiver. The harassment charge which OP seems to consider a nuisance can or cannot bite him depending on how the judge rules. In the US it can be a misdemeanor or a felony. Felony falling under moral turpitude - I would not tackle filing a waiver without an attorney.

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