Coming into the United States as an immigrant requires an applicant to meet certain requirements. One of these is that they can’t have been convicted of any crimes involving moral turpitude. Understanding this concept is critical for anyone who wants to come into the U.S.
Moral turpitude refers to any conduct that goes against established moral standards because it’s inherently dishonest or depraved. This can encompass crimes that involve violence, fraud or theft. Aggravated assault, domestic violence, embezzlement and burglary would fall under this category, but things like traffic violations wouldn’t be considered crimes involving moral turpitude.
Immigration consequences of crimes involving moral turpitude
A person who has a conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude may be deemed inadmissible, so they wouldn’t be eligible to remain in the country or come into the country. Immigrants who are currently in the U.S. could face deportation. Those who aren’t in the U.S. could be barred from entering lawfully.
While there are some convictions that will always be considered crimes involving moral turpitude, there are others that are up for interpretation by immigration officials. Because of this, anyone who has a criminal history and wants to remain in the U.S. or come to the U.S. should seek legal guidance.
It might be possible to show that the conviction shouldn’t be counted as one that involves moral turpitude. This is often a complex undertaking so it’s best to have someone familiar with the current immigration policies to work on this matter.