Overseas travel with criminal charge

[bandhu]

I entered US in 2001 on H1B and have not left the country since then. Unfortunately within few months of coming to US, I had a fight with my wife and was charged of domestic violence. This charge was later reduced and I was convicted of a simple battery.
Now if I travel overseas and come back on AP (I intend to use my approved AP instead of going for H1B stamping), can I be denied entry to US at port of entry because of my criminal charge?
Anyone in the same situation or know someone in this situation? Was there any issue in there re entry into US?
Thanks a lot in advance.

[vamsi_poondla]

What did your attorney advice?

[gjoe]

I guess you should be good with your AP . But also there was a thread about one of the IV'ians AP experience at SFO. Please read that so can understand what AP is for and when it can be used as per the IO at SFO airport

[vamsi_poondla]

Originally Posted by gjoe

I guess you should be good with your AP . But also there was a thread about one of the IV'ians AP experience at SFO. Please read that so can understand what AP is for and when it can be used as per the IO at SFO airport

If a DUI can cause automatic rejection of I-485, will this be OK at the Port Of Entry? The answer is obvious. Should do as advised by the attorney not as experienced by others on a forum.

[a_yaja]

Originally Posted by gjoe

I guess you should be good with your AP . But also there was a thread about one of the IV'ians AP experience at SFO. Please read that so can understand what AP is for and when it can be used as per the IO at SFO airport

I don't think that having AP you can bypass your criminal record. The officer at the POE will have to make the determination if you are eligible or not. I recently read (I don't have the link to back it up) that a Vietnameese lady well in her 40s who had a green card (she was not a citizen) had a drug possession (it was not even possession with intent to sell) conviction and that the officer at the POE told her that she was inadmissible and that she had to go back from where she came.

The only people who are granted entry without any questions irrespective of anything in their background are US citizens. Everyone else can be refused entry at the POE if found inadmissible.

I am not sure if spouse battery qualifies as a deportable offense. If it does, I would expect that there will be problems at the POE on the way back.

Consult your attorney and see what he/ she says. If domestic battery is a deportable offense, even a green card may not help you.

[monkeyman]

First of all, you need to heed to your lawyer's advise. Any charges that demonstrates a lack of good moral character can prevent a re-entry even if you have your green card. Any crime against a person with intent to harm is sufficient charges to reject entry or deny I-485 or revoke the GC. I do know that road rage conviction, DUI, drugs found in person qualify for such denials - I am not sure about domestic violence - hence my recommendation to consult with attorney.

Most of the people who are denied entry on AP are people who were out of status (people whose visa expired and they overstayed, H-1 visa holders who ran out of the period and cannot justify the delay between the H-1 expiry date and EAD issued date).

If you were out of status, attorneys advise you to not leave the country.

[Vishal2007]

definitely your entry should be deneid, you are not uncapale to solve your domestic problem, how come you are going to do good to this country by getting GC. (I agree these people are not good as you, but before they start domestic voilence there are on citizen/GC (either one of them),

[Vishal2007]

i was totaly upse about this post, here is my correct entry

definitely your entry should be denied, you are not capable to solve your domestic problem, how come you are going to do good to this country by getting GC. (I agree these people are not good as you, but before they start domestic violence there are on citizen/GC (either one of them),

Originally Posted by Vishal2007

definitely your entry should be deneid, you are not uncapale to solve your domestic problem, how come you are going to do good to this country by getting GC. (I agree these people are not good as you, but before they start domestic voilence there are on citizen/GC (either one of them),

[bandhu]

Originally Posted by Vishal2007

i was totaly upse about this post, here is my correct entry

definitely your entry should be denied, you are not capable to solve your domestic problem, how come you are going to do good to this country by getting GC. (I agree these people are not good as you, but before they start domestic violence there are on citizen/GC (either one of them),

I did not know moral contractors like u r here otherwise wud hv contacted u before USCIS.
BTW: What good are YOU doing to this country?

[anai]

Originally Posted by bandhu

I entered US in 2001 on H1B and have not left the country since then. Unfortunately within few months of coming to US, I had a fight with my wife and was charged of domestic violence. This charge was later reduced and I was convicted of a simple battery.
Now if I travel overseas and come back on AP (I intend to use my approved AP instead of going for H1B stamping), can I be denied entry to US at port of entry because of my criminal charge?
Anyone in the same situation or know someone in this situation? Was there any issue in there re entry into US?
Thanks a lot in advance.

One can only hope for the sake of the spouses concerned that no one else is in "the same situation."

IV is for legal immigrants. But what if a legal immigrant is a pedophile? Will this forum provide advice to such people? We can either take the approach that IV is for all legal immigrants, criminals or otherwise. Or we can say that we have to draw the line somewhere. This is a decision we have to take as a community. While I don't decide for this community, my opinion is that those who have been convicted for DUI, wife beating, etc should not benefit from this site.

[slowwin]

For whatever reason, your record is tainted. This will also comeback to bite you later (AOS ). my suggestion is to get a legal opinion from a lawyer who practices both criminal and immigration law.

Originally Posted by bandhu

I entered US in 2001 on H1B and have not left the country since then. Unfortunately within few months of coming to US, I had a fight with my wife and was charged of domestic violence. This charge was later reduced and I was convicted of a simple battery.
Now if I travel overseas and come back on AP (I intend to use my approved AP instead of going for H1B stamping), can I be denied entry to US at port of entry because of my criminal charge?
Anyone in the same situation or know someone in this situation? Was there any issue in there re entry into US?
Thanks a lot in advance.