Can You Get a F1 Visa With a U.S. Shoplifting Conviction
A woman was in the United States on a J1 visa, and was arrested for shoplifting. She entered a guilty plea to misdemeanor shoplifting, and completed her J1 program. Several years later she is seeking a F1 visa. Will she be able to get one, with a shoplifting conviction on her record?
Re: Can You Get a F1 Visa With a U.S. Shoplifting Conviction
A single conviction of a misdemeanor shoplifting conviction would normally fall under the petty offense exception, so as not to prevent her from qualifying for a student visa. That does not necessarily mean that she'll get one -- just that she's unlikely to have been disqualified. She can consider applying for a F1 visa, to see what happens; if approval is very important to her, though, it would be sensible to speak with an immigration lawyer first, to discuss her situation in detail.