it has been a while but that has been around for decades.
Actually before 1996 it was actually only SIX years and the documentation requirements were far more lax. Since 1996 the requirements are much more stringent and your essentially can’t be subject of any felony cases where you were sentenced. Thus even if you do a “no contest” plea and do not have a TECHNICAL conviction, the USCIS will treat it the same as a conviction.
This is true. I have a friend that is American and married to a Swiss man. They wanted to return to America but he was denied because of a conviction he had when he was 23. He pleaded no contest... (He is 45 now.)