
What is considered lack of good moral character?
As it pertains to US immigration, good moral character is more strict than the average standard of society. Some minor violations of the law or even activities allowed by state law but not federal law can still disqualify applicants from being a person of good moral character.
While the USCIS determines whether an applicant has met the good moral character requirement on a case-by-case basis, according to USCIS, the following establish bars to good moral character.
Permanent Bars to Good Moral Character
1. Been convicted of murder
2. Been convicted of an "aggravated felony" which includes:
Murder, rape, or sexual abuse of a minor
Illicit trafficking in controlled substances
Illicit trafficking in firearms, destructive devices, and explosive materials offenses
Money laundering offenses
Explosive materials and firearms offenses
Theft offense
Demand for or receipt of ransom
Child pornography offense
Racketeering, Gambling
Prostitution offenses
Gathering or transmitting classified information
Fraud or deceit offenses or tax evasion
Alien smuggling
Illegal entry or reentry by removed aggravated felon
Passport, document fraud
Failure to appear to court
Attempt or conspiracy to commit an aggravated felony
3. Failure to provide any evidence or documentation to support a claim that the applicant is not involved in
Nazi persecutions
Genocide
Torture or extrajudicial killings
Particularly severe violations of religious freedom
Conditional Bars to Good Moral Character
Involving in the following activities in statutory period will affect an applicant's ability to establish good moral character.
Crimes against a person, property or government.
Has been convicted of two or more offenses for which the combined, imposed sentence was five years or more
Controlled substance violations, including use of marijuana which is legal at the state level (As of May 2019)
Imprisonment for 180 days or more
False testimony in immigration process
Prostitution
Practice polygamy
Use gambling as main source of income
Habitual drunkard
Failure to support dependent
Has an extramarital affair that tended to destroy an existing marriage
Unlawful voting and false claim to U.S. citizen for voting
Failure to file tax returns or pay taxes
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