N-400 Shoplifting, case sealed. Please help!!!

isaevat

Registered Users (C)
I am desperate for your answer. I did very stupid thing in 2006, November and cannot talk to anyone still. Still beating up myself.

I am thinking to apply for citizenship but have some concerns. (do not have any money for the lawyer now).

have been in the states more than five years.
was caught with shoplifting in 2006 November. Summons ticket, theft M2 . Pleaded guilty (I had a lawyer, he said that will be the best option). I got a jacket, the price was $120

24 hours of service
The store released penalties, in 03/2007. I paid the fine.
completed seminar "theft level 2"
12 months of probation. early termination of probation Jan, 2008. Case sealed July 2008.
No fingerprint.

I have all the papers from the court.

Do you think I could apply?
 
Do you mean your case dismissed after your one year probation? Or it was sealed because you were chaged as a minor?
 
Good evening,

Yes, the case sealed/dismissed. The store released the charges,right after i paid the fine, within a month after it happened. I did community service, seminar and got early termination of probation. No fingerprints. My records are clean. I checked it several times, it is clean, no records.
 
First if I were you, I would wait 5 years from the date your probation ended just because your convition was one year long. Under immigration eyes jail or probation is the same = a "conviction". But I'm curious... Do you have a ""Certificate of Disposition" from the court? If yes what does it say and what state r u in?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for the answer. I will wait as you advised. I do not have "certificate of disposition" from the court. Should i get one? I have confirmation of an order to seal records, dated Jul 2008, early termination of probation form, a stimultation from the court (court decesion), Thest $100-500, 12 monthys of probation, 24 hours of CW. This kind of information.

Thanks.
 
Do i get it from the court? Is that a certified copy? If i will be applying after two years, do you think i should get it closer to that date?
 
Yes! get it from the court clerk.. and yes it will be a Certified Copy. Get it now so you can know what kind of charge/conviction you are really looking at. The will probably charge you about $5.00 for it (go in person). The most important part in your case is knowing what your conviction was. If your case was really "dismissed" then u might have a better chance.
USCIS will go with what the Certified Disposition says when you submit it with your N400 form.

Once you have it, you can make a decision if you should wait to apply or not. Perhaps spend a couple of hundred bucks on lawyer consultations so you can make sure and feel comfortable with applying.

here are some links you can read on..

http://www.murthy.com/print/UDshoplg_P.html

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...HTML/AFM/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-22380/0-0-0-22999.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top