Has Anyone Applied For A Us Visa Because They Have Been Arrested In The Past?

The_Trevsta

When i went to Las Vegas to get married i didnt declare i had a record for copying a few cd`s i got caught doing they umm and rrr`d abit but i think that was to scare me.... they did let me in saying next time get a visa or you wouldnt be allowed in! i previously have been to my friends villa in florida 9 times i guess since 911 the yanks gone all uptight

Trevsta

Sheepfan

bj-sailaway wrote:

Sheepfan, so didn't they get their visa? Are you saying they put people in jail from the airport for anything?

No they got the visa, but she had to be interviewed etc at the Consulate in Belfast. Becker was probably only caught because of the high profile nature of his case

bj-sailaway

The_Trevsta wrote:

When i went to Las Vegas to get married i didnt declare i had a record for copying a few cd`s i got caught doing they umm and rrr`d abit but i think that was to scare me.... they did let me in saying next time get a visa or you wouldnt be allowed in! i previously have been to my friends villa in florida 9 times i guess since 911 the yanks gone all uptight

Trevsta

So, did they stop you at passport control? How did they find out about your record? Was your conviction quite recent?

angeleyes

a friend of mine is having a similar problem we are all planning to go as a group to new york (shopping) but she is worried as she got arrested when she was just 18 (about 1993) for changing a chq amount or something like that and then the next year was fined for going on a train without paying i think she just got a fine but it went to court without her having to go.
can some one give me any advice i can pass on to her
thanks

spender

You can go to your local police station request a form under Data Protection Laws and obtain the information held on you on the police computer. There is a fee to pay but is quite straight forward. People have to obtain this information if they are applying for certain jobs.

pompeyrich

bj-sailaway wrote:

Has anyone actually heard of anyone being turned back for a previous offence?

The only cases are the ones I have read in the papers, invariably the person has ticked yes in the "have you any previous convictions" box on the Visa Waiver Form. If you tick this box you will be questioned and probably sent straight back - deported - and you will have very little chance of ever getting into the U.S.A. again.
I needed a Visa and got it no problem, you need a "memorandum of conviction" which you get from the Court that convicted you, you also need to show that you intend to return to the UK, take letter from employer, bank statements, mortgage statements etc.to show them. Also being married seems to be a plus too.
I would advise either declare your conviction and get a Visa but if you choose to risk it, then totally forget about it and DON'T TICK THE YES BOX or mention it if asked on arrival.

bj-sailaway

anyone wanting to know what information is held about them on the Police National Computer System can download the correct form from the Met's website here https://www.met.police.uk/dataprotection/forms.htm.

All you need to do is complete the form and take into a local police station with the £10 fee and ID, driving licence or passport etc.

Hope this helps a few folk!

Suggs

Morning all,

Am also worried about getting into America, would love to take the children this year.

I was convicted of assualt on a police officer in 1990 (drunken pushing and poking type fight, police turned up etc etc)

In 2000 I went to a training course in Rochester, New York didnt declare my previous conviction because I consider it "spent" under the rehabilitation of offenders Act 1975. needless to say I got in, no problems whatsoever

But because of the heightened security though I am concerned, as well.

HugoRune_2

Friend of mine had a conviction about 15 yrs old and thought all would be ok, signed the visa waiver form, arrrived in America and got stopped at the airport, interrogated for a few hours and then sent straight back on the next plane!!

scotch

You need to be very careful about this and err on the side of caution,personally i would declare it and apply for a visa,lets face it if Mark Thatcher can get a visa most people can and he tried to overthrow a goverment which is one of the questions that is specifically asked .

Be aware that the Rehabilitation of offenders Act does not apply to US visa law and once you have a criminal record in this country,(tried and convicted at a court) it stays with you till the grave,The rehabilitation of offenders act only applies to certain situations,applying for jobs mostly.

Lastly if for whatever reason you are stopped,detained and kicked out,can you imagine the look on your family's faces,not to mention never being able to go to the US ever again.
The US embassy's website in London gives some good info

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/visa/niv/vwp.htm