My application was denied for not disclosing a criminal record
My father had his immigrant visa interview in Korea through a U.S. citizen child’s parent sponsorship. However, through the office that just handled the paperwork, no one specifically asked about a criminal record, and it had been so long that he didn’t even remember or realize it was a criminal matter. So the paperwork seems to have gone in without much thought given to that. In the end, he received a USCIS denial notice on the grounds that the criminal matter wasn’t disclosed. I’d like to know if there’s any other way to fix this.
This is something that should have been checked before filing. The embassy provides a ‘notice of results’ after a denial. That notice should indicate whether the type of crime is eligible for a waiver or not. Check that first, and if there’s a path forward, frame it as an unintentional paperwork oversight or something your father genuinely no longer recalled due to the passage of time — then, when reapplying, prepare documentation explaining the circumstances and showing that the criminal matter was properly resolved at the time, and refile.