help needed - traveling to us with criminal record

terribleapp

stoneman wrote: »

The U.S. Immigration authorities have no access to the police data base in this country. The data protection act protects you against this.

Utter piffle. Nowhere in the data protection act does it prevent data sharing in this respect, it even allows it. Read the bloody thing if you don't beleive me. First sentence is also wrong. You need the word "direct" in there.

hutchy78 wrote: »

Last june me and my partner and a few other ppl was in the wrong place at the wrong time and were both arrested for suspicion of attempted murder...............ive decided not to take the chance and apply for a visa

Unfortunately the only option for you, as you have been trapped by the wording on ESTA. You may get passed to secondary on arrival, you may not.

kazprincess

Hi

Can i please ask some questions for anybody who has already got a US VISA from the british embassy. How long does it take to get approved / rejected after our interview? How long does it take to recieve our visa? Do they take our passports? Can we have an interview together as we both have a record for the same thing? How long does it take to get an interview?
Many thanks

Voyager2002

kazprincess wrote: »

Hi

Can i please ask some questions for anybody who has already got a US VISA from the british embassy. How long does it take to get approved / rejected after our interview? How long does it take to recieve our visa? Do they take our passports? Can we have an interview together as we both have a record for the same thing? How long does it take to get an interview?
Many thanks

Oddly enough, British embassies issue UK visas. I am confident that there is no-one alive who has ever got a US visa from a British embassy.

kazprincess

Sorry i meant the US embassy in the UK

terribleapp

kazprincess wrote: »

Sorry i meant the US embassy in the UK

travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_4638.html

and select London. Basically you still need the PNC and the signed memorandum of Conviction. PNC could take longer to get than the visa.

kazprincess

Hi
As our offence is not drug related, i have read that we only need the PNC. We do not need a memorandum of convictions.

Flyboy152

stoneman wrote: »

Just dont mention it. They have no way of knowing if you have a conviction or not. The U.S. Immigration authorities have no access to the police data base in this country. The data protection act protects you against this. The 2 countries only exchange information on things that might effect national security.

Err.....no, I think you might have misunderstood the DPA. Have another read of it.

Flyboy152

kazprincess wrote: »

Hi

Can i please ask some questions for anybody who has already got a US VISA from the british embassy. How long does it take to get approved / rejected after our interview? How long does it take to recieve our visa? Do they take our passports? Can we have an interview together as we both have a record for the same thing? How long does it take to get an interview?
Many thanks

You might be able to get an interview on the same day, but it won't be a joint one.

terribleapp

kazprincess wrote: »

Hi
As our offence is not drug related, i have read that we only need the PNC. We do not need a memorandum of convictions.

Yes, thats what the embassy website states. However, the PNC only contains a one liner of what you were convicted off - EXAMPLE "charged with assault....".

Its does not show the elements - ROUGH EXAMPLE "Hit victim on head with hammer". This could make the assault a CiMT. This information is contained in the memorandum of conviction.

The more evidence you have that the crime is not one involving moral turpitude, or the fact that petty offenses comes into play, the better for you.

Also, its a trip to an embassy, not a trip to the seaside, so dress appropriately.

Voyager2002

terribleapp wrote: »

Yes, thats what the embassy website states. However, the PNC only contains a one liner of what you were convicted off - EXAMPLE "charged with assault....".

Its does not show the elements - ROUGH EXAMPLE "Hit victim on head with hammer". This could make the assault a CiMT. This information is contained in the memorandum of conviction.

The more evidence you have that the crime is not one involving moral turpitude, or the fact that petty offenses comes into play, the better for you.

Also, its a trip to an embassy, not a trip to the seaside, so dress appropriately.

And I seem to recall that you said that you planned to advise them to make the ESTA questions clearer. Not a good idea: the consuls have a great deal of discretion, and are likely to decline applications from anyone who seems at all 'lippy'.