Denied my tourist visa for the USA

crazyangel_2

I have a criminal record for shop lifiting even though I never actually stole anything I was with a friend that did he got caught and therefore both of us charged,I also caught a train without a ticket got caught and fined.This was 19 years ago so I didn't qualify for the visa waiver for the USA so I had an appointment at the Embassy in London only to be told what I already knew that I never qualified for the Visa Waiver so the immigration Officer then said as my crimes where 19 years ago she would forward my application to the Department of Home land Security in Washington DC.
Has anyone had dealings with them or know what outcome I can expect.As for now I can never enter the States.

jscalow

why did you bother to tell them? there is nothing on your pp to indicate that you were involved 19 yrs ago, they would have never known. the only way you can enter the states is thru Canada, but this can be tricky if you are caught, although i have friends who do this regulary.

Voyager2002

Anyway, it is to be hoped that the Department will exercise some common sense and grant you your visa. Otherwise, there are many countries in the world that are better holiday destinations than the USA, Canada among them.

Don't even think of visiting the USA illegally. If you did so, any insurance that you held would be invalid. I would hate to visit the USA without valid medical insurance. Again, if you were to drive you would not have valid insurance, so a minor accident could result in major trouble for you.

sturll

jscalow wrote: »

why did you bother to tell them? there is nothing on your pp to indicate that you were involved 19 yrs ago, they would have never known. the only way you can enter the states is thru Canada, but this can be tricky if you are caught, although i have friends who do this regulary.

I agree with this. You had no reason other than a moral reason to tell them. In effect you shat on your own doorstep for no reason at all.

Nobjocki

sturll wrote: »

I agree with this. You had no reason other than a moral reason to tell them. In effect you shat on your own doorstep for no reason at all.

Rather indelicately put I know but I agree.
There has been a lot of correspondence on here about declaring minor convictions to the US authorities - it is simply not necessary.
End of.

ameratsu

If you were a minor at the time of the offences, the visa waiver regs do not apply anyway - but of course the embassy won't tell you that, they like all that lovely money it makes for them.
They ought to make everyone get a (low priced) visa, as other countries do, then there would be none of this moral turpitude nonsense, serious convictions aside, obviously.

markelock

sturll wrote: »

I agree with this. You had no reason other than a moral reason to tell them. In effect you shat on your own doorstep for no reason at all.

I'm trying to think of a good reason to shat on my doorstep???

sturll

markelock wrote: »

I'm trying to think of a good reason to shat on my doorstep???

Its a fiugure of speech - i know you know that. Akin to doing himself from behind....

stoneman

Crazyangel, I know the horse has already bolted but it might have been a good idea to ask on here first before declaring to the U.S. authorities about a spent conviction.
The U.S. immigration people at the airport have absolutly no way of finding out about convictions here, they would have to have access to the police national computer. I still have an outstanding conviction and travel about 4-5 times a year to the U.S. and never mention anything.

crazyangel_2

crazyangel wrote: »

I have a criminal record for shop lifiting even though I never actually stole anything I was with a friend that did he got caught and therefore both of us charged,I also caught a train without a ticket got caught and fined.This was 19 years ago so I didn't qualify for the visa waiver for the USA so I had an appointment at the Embassy in London only to be told what I already knew that I never qualified for the Visa Waiver so the immigration Officer then said as my crimes where 19 years ago she would forward my application to the Department of Home land Security in Washington DC.
Has anyone had dealings with them or know what outcome I can expect.As for now I can never enter the States.

The reason I did tell them was because i have a fiancee in california and we are going to apply for the fiancee visa after xmas for me to go and live there and then it could have been held against me for not declaring my convictions ,i never told the immigration this incase if could jeapodise myself even more and they could think i may not return to the UK after my visit.

But i was always told that there is going to be new border controls before stepping on the plane in the uk where they can check for convictions .

PasturesNew

My friend was done for arson (one of those stupid kid arsons on derelict buildings, not an adult/grudge/house type one). He applied to go and be a leader at Camp America.

He got let in.

Obviously he never told them, he left it for them to find out and they didn't.