MY HUSBAND HAS A CRIMINAL RECORD IN THE US AND WE WERE TOLD HE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY EVEN IF IM APPROVED TO SPONSOR HIM. ALSO I WAS TOLD BECAUSE HE IS OUT OF STATUS GTEC MAY HAVE HIM ON THE ENFORCEMENT LIST AND WE MAY NOT EVEN KNOW. THE LAWYER SAID THAT IF HIS NAME IS ONN THE GTEC LIST AND WE APPLY FOR SPOUSAL SPONSORSHIP IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE DENIED AND HE WILL NEED TO START OVER. SHE DID NOT SPECIFY IF HE WOULD THEN HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY AND APPLY ABROAD OR IF HE CAN STAY HERE AND APPLY HERE. I WAS WONDERING IF I CAN AVOID LOSING THE MONEY IM PAYING THE LAWYER AND APPLY FOR A MINISTERS PERMIT FIRST AND THEN PROCEED WITH THE APPLICATION?