Can I get a green card even if I have some charges? 8 Answers as of October 28, 2011

You may still receive your green card but due to convictions, you should hire an experienced immigration attorney to represent you.

It is going to affect your green card application. You should hire a lawyer to view the criminal records to see whether you are inadmissible and if so, whether you are eligible for the waiver.

The commission of certain crimes could cause an applicant to be ineligible for naturalization. However, shoplifting, theft and possession of alcohol alone will not bar you from receiving a green card (assuming the charges are not felonies). That said, three (3) separate charges could be a problem as you could be viewed as a habitual offender. As the charges are still pending I recommend contacting a law firm or attorney that handles criminal and/or immigration cases.

More information is required to fully answer this question. If you plan to adjust status through a family or labor petition, you can apply for a waiver for your theft offenses. That waiver requires that you prove that your citizen or resident spouse,child or parent will suffer extreme hardship if you are not granted unless the offenses occured over 15 years ago. Furthermore, an officer has discretion to deny. Your recent DUI does not help and you must stay clean.

The possession of alcohol charge will not be a problem for your application for residency, but the shoplifting offense is most likely a crime involving moral turpitude and may cause problems with your application for residency. If it does not meet the petty offense exception, you will need a waiver of the offense in order to proceed with your residency, and the waiver requires that you have a spouse, parent or child who is a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident. If you would like more information or assistance with this case, please contact our office to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys. We look forward to assisting you.

Criminal convictions can impact eligibility for a green card. Some criminal offenses make you ineligible for a green card while others only go towards the discretionary decision of whether to give you a green card. A theft conviction, depending upon the specific facts, can result in a denial of a green card. It is important to consult with an experienced immigration attorney in more detail about the matter.

Not necessarily and depending on how you are applying for green card. You should talk to an immigration attorney.

One petty theft on your record is usually not a big deal. And the possession of alcohol offense is rather minor. So I don't think that this will cause any problems for you when applying for your green card. Please get certified copies of the court disposition for both charges.