visa and convictions

[baz]

JUST GOT BACK FROM LONDON AND THE US EMBASSY FOR MY VISA APPLICATION! i WILL EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THERE AND THE STRANGE DECISION THAT NOBODY HAS MENTIONED BEFORE OR I HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE. I GOT THERE AT 8.30 FOR A 9.00 am APPOINTMENT. WATCHED OZZIE OSBOURNE WALK OUT WITH A MINDER OR TWO WHILST QUEING OUTSIDE. GOT IN BUT NO OTHER FAMILY ALLOWED IN! RECEIVED A TICKET AND WAITED FOR MY NUMBER TO BE CALLED. 15 MIN LATER, MY NUMBER IS CALLED AND I GO TO A KIOSK AND HAND OVER MY DOCUMENTS AND REFERENCES. SIT BACK DOWN AFTER HAVING FINGERPRINT SCAN. WAIT FOR INTERVIEW. AFTER 40 MINS NUMBERS ARE BEING CALLED AROUND MY NUMBER BUT MINE ISN'T. 2 HOURS LATER MY NUMBER IS CALLED, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT MY CASE WAS A LOT MORE SERIOUS THAN MOST OF THE OTHERS THERE. MY NUMBER IS CALLED AND I WALKED TO ANOTHER INTERVIEW KIOSK AND WAS ASKED WHAT DRUGS I HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF POSSESSING AND IF I HAD BEEN ARRESTED SINCE THE AFFRAY CASE (MY LAST CONVICTION SEVEN YEARS AGO). THE MAN THEN SAID I WAS INELIGIBLE BECAUSE OF THESE CRIMES BUT BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN SEVEN YEARS AGO HE WAS GOING TO RECOMMEND ME FOR A 'WAIVER OF INELIGIBILITY'? THIS MEANS A COMMISIONER OR SOMEBODY HIGH UP LOOKS AT THE CASE AND I WILL RECEIVE AN ANSWER WITHIN 2 MONTHS.
SO THANKS FOR THOSE PRAYERS, I AM NOT THERE YET BUT I HAVE GOT SO MUCH FURTHER THAN I IMAGINED.

hi tony,
i went through the same last year, although i spent the whole day waiting, my friend had exactly the same response as yourself, that he basically had to be referred to someone else(higher up) and within 2 weeks he received a letter saying that he had been approved the visa arrived then within another week. i'm pretty sure you will have no trouble, by the way i only received a 12 month visa although i thought you were automatically give one for 10yrs.
so i'll have to re-apply next year.

 

[SEVANS2208]

Good luck, Tony.

Keeping everything crossed for you. Let us know the outcome.

 

[carolfoy]

Good Luck tony, sending prayers and pd your way for a speedy decision

 

[lakers]

Tony,
have been informed by a reliable friend who works in the legal trade that the americans dont have access to our national computers or figures as held by scotland yard.
Any conviction over 10yrs is normally wiped of the record anyway,i cannot tell you what to do only you can do that,but i cannot see anyreason why you should not get a visa if you applied.
The American immigration normally look more harshly at what they call immorral perpitude Ie : crimes against children,drug related crime and sexual crime/
Good luck with whatever you do.

 

[baz]

i was just wondering if anyone who has travelled using a visa (as my trip is within the next few months) can comment on whether you get any heavy questioning at customs/immigration or you manage to get through fairly easily.

regards, baz

 

[Cochise]

I read a statement from the head of the US Immigration (Unsure of correct title) but they said they were treading a little more lightly on people after record number of complaints especially from the British. One of the areas he specifically referred to was preventing people from entering the country when they previously had when not entitled to. He said that for minor breaches like this the discretion was to be with the officer on the first point of contact rather than set in stone. Cant find the exact story at the moment but it was on holidaytruths.co.uk

And it is nice to see they have delayed the Biometric requirements back to October 2006, so as i read it people are ok to renew the Machine Readable beyond October of this year.

 

[Muppet]

they dont have access to your records,i know of people who have been recently on visa waiver with previous convictions,they have no access to your records,and look at what has happened with lots of cases involving people working with children when they should not be allowed ,they havent been checked on,i think 100% you will be allowed access to the usa on visawaiver

I know someone who travelled at christmas and once he put his first finderprint on they asked why he was last arrested and gave hime the date.

Not a risk worth taking.

 

[Muppet]

Tony

I really hope they allow you to go.

Honesty is the best policy.

Good Luck.

 

[Cochise]

I think that was general question to draw an answer to trap himself, altho i dont understand the date reference. They have a no fly list and nothing beyond that at the moment, i believe they have no legal access without going through the official channels which is not instant

 

[Muppet]

If I had not of witnessed it then I would be thinking the same as everyone else.

 

[trevorsem]

like a lot of people i had a misspent youth(i am 35). i have six convictions that do not make nice reading. these were not half as serious as they read but are on my record. none of them resulted in prison , just fines. they are
1 assault on police officer...£50.....17 years ago
2 criminal damage..............£50.....15 years ago
3 public order....................£75......14 years ago
4 burglary(theft of fire extinguishers)...£200 13 years ago
5 possession of amphetamines......£150.....11 years ago
6 affray............. £300.............7 years ago

i know it doesn't look nice but it was not as bad as they read. has anybody had a similar record and time frame and been given a visa. i have also heard people say take references from employers etc. i became a Christian 7 years ago and transformed my life, would letters from my pastor or church be any help?

Hi

We all make mistakes but as a serving Police Officer strongly recommend you get a visa from the US Embassy before you travel. Especially now the US Customs are taking finger prints. Give yourself plenty of time as there is normally a wait.

Trev

 

[trevorsem]

Tony,
have been informed by a reliable friend who works in the legal trade that the americans dont have access to our national computers or figures as held by scotland yard.
Any conviction over 10yrs is normally wiped of the record anyway,i cannot tell you what to do only you can do that,but i cannot see anyreason why you should not get a visa if you applied.
The American immigration normally look more harshly at what they call immorral perpitude Ie : crimes against children,drug related crime and sexual crime/
Good luck with whatever you do.

Offences over 10 years are NOT wiped in full, just of the PNC2 (Police national computer) the CRO (Crime records office number) remains, but you have to ask for the file to be pulled from the Scotland Yard archives.


T

 

[kazzie]

Let us know as soon as you hear re. the visa? I so hope you get one

Baz,My DH was pulled aside on our trip in Feb! Although he'd had a previous 10 year visa and never been questioned any further (other than a couple of questuions at the desk) this time he was asked to go to a seperate room,I'm assuming this was because he had a brand new visa,in a new passport Perhaps we should have taken his old passport with the expired visa to show he'd had one and used it with no problem for 10 years.

In the interview room were quite a few other people.When he was seen they asked what his conviction was,what had occoured and when.He was told OK what you've told me matches what we have on our screen.From this I take it someone can't get a visa in London,then being concerned they might not be allowed in once at US customs then makes up a lesser offense.So they DO have access to whatever info you give at the US Embassy in the UK.

I was crying,I really thought they might turn him away,but it was OK

 

[Muppet]

The other is that its a quicker and easier process (proven by a few on another board) to fly to Belfast and to the embassy there. Little or no queues and really quick.

 

[bj-sailaway]

Kazzie, I presume they may have that information from his visa application, as opposed to from our UK Police computer records? Any thoughts anyone?

 

[baz]

Let us know as soon as you hear re. the visa? I so hope you get one

Baz,My DH was pulled aside on our trip in Feb! Although he'd had a previous 10 year visa and never been questioned any further (other than a couple of questuions at the desk) this time he was asked to go to a seperate room,I'm assuming this was because he had a brand new visa,in a new passport Perhaps we should have taken his old passport with the expired visa to show he'd had one and used it with no problem for 10 years.

In the interview room were quite a few other people.When he was seen they asked what his conviction was,what had occoured and when.He was told OK what you've told me matches what we have on our screen.From this I take it someone can't get a visa in London,then being concerned they might not be allowed in once at US customs then makes up a lesser offense.So they DO have access to whatever info you give at the US Embassy in the UK.

I was crying,I really thought they might turn him away,but it was OK

hi kazzie,
i'd be straightforward with them as you were as they'll obviously have all your info as bj says from your application, don' really cherish the thought of a grilling from them though

 

[margaret2]

Hi i was just wondering if there is anyone with a recent/ past criminal record who has just got back from the us that could give us an honest answer as to what realy happens with this finger printing stuff at immigration, as i cant really see how the us has access to our criminal record data base we are surley protected by the data protection act so if anyone has just got back please put us out of our misery and let us know what the score is

 

[Rain]

colleague at work had a conviction for possesion of amphtimines in the 60s
he travelled visa waiver and was fingerprinted with no problem.
Not that I am advocating doing this, but I think convictions from a long time ago should be spent.

 

[margaret2]

thanks rain how long ago was this

 

[Rain]

Margaret,

It was November, They did photo's and fingerprints.