Have I committed a crime of moral turpitude? I'm not sure whether I need a US visa.?

Matt1979

well thank you for all your information and im sorry for starting an argument.

I have been looking into a visa my self as yes i could take a risk and be fine but if something was to happen then i would get deported and it wont just be me losing out but my girlfriend and my daughter. looking at thins i need to get a ACRO report with regards to my criminal record this cost £35 and should get it within 10 working days im currently waiting for a new passport to come back which should be here soon as i need this to get a ACRO Report once i have the new passport and the ACRO report i can make an appointment with the US visa office and according to there website it say there is a current waiting time of 3 working days

Please could someone correct me if i am wrong with the above information as this is all new to me

Many thanks again and im sorry for causing an argument/debate on my first post

tori.k

martinthebandit wrote: »

Funnily enough I just got US visas for me and the wife last night.

If you go here https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

Fill out the form and pay $14 by credit card you will find out, usually instantly, its probably worth $14 for the peace of mind and the visa is valid for 2 years.

But ESTA's dont guarantee entry into the USA an ESTA gives you the right to travel you wouldn't be able to leave the UK without an esta or visa but not the right to entry thats decided at border control

Hippy110

A friend has a conviction which meant he was unsure if he would be eligible to complete the ESTA. The Embassy will undoubtedly say you need a visa but it is the Border Agency on arrival who make the eventual decision on entry.
He e-mailed US immigration ([EMAIL="customs@customs-mail.custhelp.com)"]customs@customs-mail.custhelp.com)[/EMAIL] and gave brief details of the conviction and asked if he could answer 'no' to the relevant question.
He got the reply he wanted and if he had gone would have printed out the relevant e-mails. He also intended to fly via Dublin so if he was refused entry it would be less expensive to get home (you clear immigration in Ireland which also saves the queues on arrival in US).
So I would advise e-mailing giving brief details ie borrowed an item (with approx value of x) from work and before it was replaced the police were called leading to a conviction for theft and see how you get on.
HTH, good luck

scottishperson2

Matt1979 wrote: »

looking at thins i need to get a ACRO report........

Please could someone correct me if i am wrong with the above information as this is all new to me

You need to get the memorandum of conviction from the magistrates court as well. The ACPO police certificate does not contain the relevant detail of the crime. All it would state is what you were done for. The MOC should contain the elements of the crime.

What is important here is the maximum value of the property you took. Under District of Columbia codes

If the total value of the property is less than $1000, it is a theft in the second degree. The penalty for second degree theft is a maximum fine of $1,000 and imprisonment for no more than 180 days. D.C. Criminal Code 22-3212.

This means that the petty offence exemption should kick in

a.) he or she committed only one crime;
b.) the maximum penalty possible for the crime did not exceed imprisonment for one year; and
c.) the non citizen seeking admission was not sentenced to a term of imprisonment longer than 6 months.

in which case you should get the visa.

However, as a word of warning, US embassy are known to refuse people for lack of ties to the UK, even though they meet the requirements for the petty offence exemption. So show strong ties to the UK - job/house/family.

Also do as Hippy10 suggests.

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

So if "we aren't talking about names", why did you provide a link that goes directly to legislation that refers specifically to the process of passenger name sharing?

Even the link he provided is out of date, the agreement was reached in April 2012

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/129806.pdf

But its a mute point (apart from the data sharing, which we knew was already taking place anyways and is even mentioned in paragraph 3) as this discussion has nothing to do with whats on the PNR.

Matt1979

Well i went for my visa interview and they granted it with out wanting to see much at all i didnt need a MOC just the ACPO report was fine

just looking forward to going away now on the 16th for some Sun, Sea and relaxation

Many thanks for everyone's help

martinthebandit

Matt1979 wrote: »

Well i went for my visa interview and they granted it with out wanting to see much at all i didnt need a MOC just the ACPO report was fine

just looking forward to going away now on the 16th for some Sun, Sea and relaxation

Many thanks for everyone's help

Glad it all worked out well for you

gnus

Matt1979 wrote: »

Well i went for my visa interview and they granted it

What length did they stamp it for? Single trip, 1 year, 10 years?

Better to be over prepared than under prepared. Strange they didn't look at the MOC as they should look at the elements of the crime, not just the basic conviction on the ACPO.