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How will a criminal record affect my application for citizenship?

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CAG

Junior Member
I am a resident of California. I have lived in the US since 1986 and received a green card several years later. As a minor I had a run in with the law. in 1996 I was arrested for possesion of marijuana and was charged with a misdemeanor and was put on probation and served 2 weekends in Juvenile hall.
In 1998 I was charged with petty theft (shoplifting) and was put on probation. I have since become an active member in the community, graduated from a prestigious university and worked for several fortune 50 companies in high positions. I was looking into becoming a citizen and upon reading I found out I could be deported just by submitting an application and having these things on my record.
I can't even request documents for the first crime since I was a minor unless I have a court order, and the second crime was expunged from my record but still shows up.
My question is, how if at all can these affect me in my citizen application? Is there a statute of limitations for them to affect the process? Should I disclose both of these on my application even if one was on my minor record? Please advise... I would really like to become a citizen but do not want these things to affect me if I do not disclose them correctly.
 


kdorn

Member
I would suggest you to hire an attorney to handle your citizenship application. There are many grey area and your best way is use attorney.
 

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