You must apply for an ESTA online to enter the USA after 12 Jan 2009

craig777

vulcanbomber wrote: »

Thanks Guys. Because my folks have been here for so long and are "settled" I understand that they would be classed as British Subjects.......unless I'm wrong. Any help would be gratefully received.

I just noticed this post when having a scoot through earlier pages of this thread (sorry if it's been answered elsewhere).

I read an internet article just the other day with regards to a British Subject. A British Subject applied for ESTA and got approval and wasn't even allowed to board the plane here in the UK. British Subjects still need a visa.

Although, citizens of Ireland are included in the VWP, so they're fine to apply for ESTA. On the ESTA application your parents would put 'United Kingdom' for 'Country where you live' and 'Ireland' for ' Country of citizenship' and all should be fine.

You've probably found this out already, so sorry if I'm repeating information.

plymouth1970

i've got my police certificate back - its says no live trace.

oh well lets see what happens!

Stephb1986_2

We're still waiting to hear back to be honest, hopefully it's soon not long now till we go

Steph xx

craig777

plymouth1970 wrote: »

i've got my police certificate back - its says no live trace.

oh well lets see what happens!

When do you fly? Quite soon isn't it?

If you haven't been convicted of anything, your certificate will always say 'no live trace'. (although I thought 'no live trace' was when you have a spent conviction and 'no trace' was when your record was clean??).

A 'subject access request' from your local police station would give you all the information you need.

Am I right in thinking you're taking this certificate with you incase you get questioned at immigration? Don't go showing them the certficate unless you really have to!

Amy83

Had a quick scan through some of this thread but can't see the answer, so sorry if I'm repeating things!

Can you use the ESTA more than once, or do you need to reapply for each visit to the States? I was there a few weeks ago and have just discovered I'm going back again on Tuesday, but all I can find on the ESTA site is that it's valid for two years or until the passport expires. Not sure if I need to apply again? Thanks in advance

Fortran

I know the whole arrest theme has been done in this thread quite a bit but my circumstances are slightly different to others who have posted and I would appreciate some feedback.

In February this year I was arrested for the alleged possession of cannabis, long story short I decided to give a friend a lift, we were pulled over by the police and unknown to me he was carrying 3 small bags of cannabis on him. He decided (due to having a previous conviction and suspended sentence for the same thing) unbeknownst to me to stash these bags in my glove compartment, after talking with the police individually by the roadside they decided to search my car, of course they found the bags he had hidden. Because I could not tell them I had physically seen him hide them and because he decided to be an !!! and not say a word about it we were both arrested and taken to the police station.

Many hours later they finally got around to interviewing us, he (having prior police encounters) took his solicitor in and was advised to answer no-comment to everything. Me, having absolutley no interaction with the police prior to this horrible night and being a little clueless, decided that I had nothing to hide and answered the interview on my own.

We were both released shortly afterwards and told to return to the police station 8 weeks later (not bailed, just simply told to return) while they carried out fingerprint testing on the bag to ascertain who it actually belonged to. During the 8 week period I was informed by the police that I was no longer required and due to insufficient evidence against me (naturally) I would face no further action. So in total I was arrested and questioned but not charged or convicted of anything.

Now obviously I have to apply for a visa (no more waiver visa because I was arrested!) because of this damn guy dragging me into his problems. I just wanted to ask if anybody thinks I should encounter any problems with being issued with a travel visa from the embassy. I was innocent in this and have not committed a crime of any nature. As I stated before I have had no other interactions with the police in my 31 years aside from this.

Any feedback would be appreciated, I am planning to fly out to Puerto Rico (still a USA controlled territory) in 8 weeks time to visit my girlfriend and her family and am desperately worried that this is going to screw up my chances of travelling and if not issued with a visa effectively end my 4 year relationship.

stoneman

Fortran,
I have actually been arrested and officially cautioned, but was told that I didn't have to mention it as nothing would ever show on my records, which seems to bare out as I obtained a police report for possible immigration to Australia and it showed "no trace".
Being arrested is not the same as a conviction so you would not have to mention it to the U.S. authorities, many people get arrested, sometimes it is an official thing so that the police can force you to stay with them so that they can carry out "a full and effective investigation". you answer their questions then you get de-arrested.
Just fill out the ESTA is my opinion, but others more learned might disagree

littlereddevil

Amy83 wrote: »

Had a quick scan through some of this thread but can't see the answer, so sorry if I'm repeating things!

Can you use the ESTA more than once, or do you need to reapply for each visit to the States? I was there a few weeks ago and have just discovered I'm going back again on Tuesday, but all I can find on the ESTA site is that it's valid for two years or until the passport expires. Not sure if I need to apply again? Thanks in advance

Yes it is valid for 2 years

dzug1

stoneman wrote: »

Being arrested is not the same as a conviction so you would not have to mention it to the U.S. authorities, many people get arrested, sometimes it is an official thing so that the police can force you to stay with them so that they can carry out "a full and effective investigation". you answer their questions then you get de-arrested.
Just fill out the ESTA is my opinion, but others more learned might disagree

Rubbish. The US authorities specifically require disclosure of arrests as well as convictions. Read the question on the ESTA form and don't draw glib comparisons with another unconnected country.

Now whether they will know if you lie and don't disclose the (alleged) offence is another matter. In the past I'd have confidently said they wouldn't, but information sharing is on the increase. The UK Immigration Service has certainly agreed in principle to share information that if routinely accessed would catch you on arrival. Whether it's happened yet and whether it will be routinely accessed is another matter.

craig777

Fortran wrote: »

we were pulled over by the police and unknown to me he was carrying 3 small bags of cannabis on him. He decided (due to having a previous conviction and suspended sentence for the same thing) unbeknownst to me to stash these bags in my glove compartment,

Not much of friend to do something like that!

You'll have an entry on the PNC for this little incident, you'll be known as a 'CJ Arrestee' until you're 100 years old, then the Police will kindly wipe the entry... unless you fight for it to be removed, which is possible, but I don't know what's involved to be honest. Although your record will be 'spent', so only visible to Police, not other users of the PNC.

I can't imagine your name will be on any US Immigration 'watch list' over this matter, you're hardly gonna be flagged as a potentional drug trafficker. You didn't even receive any kind of warning/caution/fine etc. etc.

Technically you should apply for a Visa, but in reality, I bet there are loads of people that pass through US Immigration without a hitch that have been in your kind of situation. I actually know someone that has!

You know the risks, so only you can make the decision... but you might have a struggle to get a Visa sorted within 8 weeks??

And if you're travelling on your own, immigration might take more interest in you than they would a family, so you could find yourself subject to deeper digging by immigration.

Keep us posted on what you decide to do and how it goes.