INS and Prior Record | The Law Office of Jesse P. Duran

Question: “I received two misdemeanors for shoplifting in 1969 and 1977. The judge mentioned after probation, he would seal and expunge my records. I do not wish to reveal this information on a citizenship application when asked about moral character. Please advise.”

Answer: It’s unlikely, though, not impossible that your convictions would have been expunged on a judge’s own motion. However, and you’ll want to confirm this with an immigration attorney, generally speaking, expungements do not result in the same benefits to a noncitizen. There are a host of other possible remedies to non-citizens who are seeking to clear records. For further information, contact an immigration attorney to confirm whether, despite the convictions possibly being expunged in the past, they still must be disclosed.