Help with usa visa waiver please

chalky_75

We are travelling as a family to Buffalo in the USA for a wedding in August. We actually fly into Toronto in Canada as Buffalo is so close to the border.
My daughters partner had a drink driving offence 3 years ago with a ban from driving at the time for 12 months.
When filling out the Visa waiver form for the USA it asks if there are any arrests or convictions for moral perpitude. We have looked it up and don't think Drink Driving comes under moral perpitude. Any help would be very much appreciated
Thank You

nw_man

Whoaa, thats one large can of worms and one thats been argued about on here many times

I am sitting firmly on the fence here, its a tricky one indeed.

To be honest I dont think anyone on this board can give you a definitive answer, merely their view on the matter.

The only people that can are the US authorities.

Good luck.

ps, its moral Turpitude

richardw

Have a browse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_turpitude#Interpretation_of_moral_turpitude

Meepster

Drink driving doesn't come under moral turpitude

Ankh

I dont think you need a ESTA as the web page says

"Who is required to have a travel authorization?
All passengers traveling under the Visa Waiver Program are required to have an approved travel authorization prior to traveling to the United States by air or sea. Even non-ticketed infants are required to have an approved travel authorization, if they do not have a visa for travel to the United States. An application may be submitted by a third party on behalf of a Visa Waiver Program traveler."

Im guessing you are going into the USA by road.

dzug1

You don't need ESTA arriving in the US by road - but you fill in a form at the border which asks exactly the same questions.

Drink driving is not moral turpitude as such but it can (and only can) lead to refusal of entry on the grounds of being a drug abuser. If you apply for a visa and declare a drink driving charge they have been known to refer you for a medical to prove you are not an alcoholic.

However there is another problem - a drink driving conviction is an absolute bar for entry to Canada. In reality they don't either ask or check tourists from Europe as to whether they have such an offence but it is a theoretical possibility.

jackieblack

As others have said, ESTA is not relevant.

Info on Inadmissibilty to Canada here

I have been advised that a $9 per person fee will be payable at the border when entering USA by road

thetope

A colleague at my work was declined a visa after admitting a drink driving conviction on the visa waiver form, he had to have an embassy interview and a medical at great expense and they still did not allow him to travel for three weeks to a wedding. It *is* a crime of "moral turpitude" apparently. Think very carefully about whether you decide to put it on the visa waiver form as it is highly unlikely that they will actually find out about the conviction otherwise.

chalky_75

Gosh. A can of worms indeed. Thank you for all your help and advice

dzug1

jackieblack wrote: »

I have been advised that a $9 per person fee will be payable at the border when entering USA by road

Unless it's gone up very recently it's $6 per person. Only $US accepted.

jackieblack

dzug1 wrote: »

Unless it's gone up very recently it's $6 per person. Only $US accepted.

Well, I thought it was $6 but was told last week that it was $9, assumed they'd raised the fee recently but guess we'll find out when we get there!