I got caught shoplifting while my green card process is underway — will it have an effect?
Hello. This is a very embarrassing question. My spouse has just started an employment-based green card process.
I recently walked out of a department store with about $150 worth of merchandise without paying and ended up going to court over it. I’m worried this criminal record could cause a problem in obtaining our green card.
Even though the amount was small, I’m worried about paying a fine and this being treated as a crime involving moral turpitude that could affect our ability to get a green card.
The criminal outcome still needs to play out, but since it’s your husband’s employment-based case, a simple shoplifting incident on your part likely wouldn’t negatively affect the green card enough to cause real problems.