Visa Waver urgent help

[dunwood]

I have read all the recent correspondence on this site about the new visa waver laws and i must admit it is making me ill with worry 23 years ago i was prosecuted for a minor offence (i bought some cheap chocolate in a pub) i have travelled to florida every year for the past seven years using the visa waver form and never gave it a second thought to the section that asks you about moral turpitude (i honestly thought it was something to do with prostitution) so i have always ticked the no box with this question and there has never been a problem with all the scare mongering that has gone on recently i am really getting worried that i may be refused entry now they have the new scanning system does anyboy actually know if they can access these records which are 23 years old i have rang the embassy and they obviously told me that i will need a visa and i could possibly wait up to 14 weeks for an appointment then another 6 weeks to hear any results i would also need the correspondence from the case ,i rang the court and they said it could take months to locate these because i couldnt even remeber the exact year never mind the date so i rang the police station where a very friendy and helpful officer had a look into this for me he informed me that because it was such a long time ago it is no longer on record and had been spent but that it would probably be on microfilm at hendon so he told me to pick up a subject access form from my local police station and fill in the deatails and they would reply within a matter of a few weeks the problem is i have fully paid for my holiday and i am due to fly out at the beggining of November so obviously it is deffinately to late to apply for a visa even if i get the correct info if i had not fully paid for the holiday the decision would be easy i would cancel and book the holiday at a later date the decision is now should we go and chance that we are checked in the same way we have been for the past seven years or stay at home and lose close to £3,000 which would absolutely devastate us all, does anybody actually know what the difference is now since i became aware of this problem i have been informed there has been no change in the law it has always been the same i would really appreciate some response to this as i do not have a clue in what to do

 

[horsemouth]

Don't worry about it mate, I was in the same boat as you.

I was pinched selling cigarettes and booze from France, the case wento court and I got fined for it, this was many moons ago now.
I asked the same as what you are asking - I asked the wifes brother who is an inspector in the Police force - he advised us to just go ahead with our holiday and not to worry - it wasn't as though we were gun runners or drug dealing terrorists.

I would just go ahead and do what you've been doing in signing the form, I certainly wouldn't worry about it, and certainly not to the extent of thinking about chucking in my holiday over it.

Start getting exited about your upcoming holiday and not worrying if you are gonna get refused entry into orlando because of some chocolate offence that occured over two decades ago.

horsey

Ps wanna buy some russian caramels?

 

[jjcollins]

I'm with you horsey -- look forward to your vacation.


These Yanks haven't a clue -- They're backing the Irish peace process, which involves letting some of the worst TERRORISTS in history walk free. Yet they'll stop someone at customs with a minor offence.


The world is upside down



jj.........

 

[signtalker]

I thought that after 5 or 6 years your time was spent anyway, so there wouldnt be any details held on file anyway!.

Go ahead and enjoy planning for your holiday

Jules

 

[horsemouth]

Thanks very much JJ - Im really looking forward to this holiday.

I completely agree with your statement m8 - what a sad state of affairs.

horsey

 

[lholly]

My friend was prosecuted for three offences - drink driving, possession of cannibis, and possession of a weapon, three weeks before he was due to fly to Orlando.

On his solicitors advice, because he was too late to apply for a visa, he went ahead with the holiday in Dec 02 and just replied no to all the questions of the visa waiver form. he had no problems getting through customs. He has been back to the US twice since under the same conditions.

When I have been through immigration at US airports, it's always very brief and I think they just scan the passport to register you are in the country so they can check you leave within the 90 days.

The only problems he was told would be if he ever applied for a visa to live or work over there when they might look into criminal records then.

I don't think you should worry, just look forward to the holiday

lholly

 

[dunwood]

Thank you all very much for your comments and opinions i must admit i feel greatly releived by your response and i will go ahead with the holiday and i will let everybody know how i get on when i get back (Hopefully after 3 weeks with the mouse) i might even try and write a holiday report especially after all the pleasure i have experienced reading other members experiences what a great site once again thanks

 

[kazzie]

In The Telegraph on Saturday there is a travel column by travel journalist Jill Charlton.This Saturday was a very similiar letter to yours.Her answer basically was,she contacted the police over here and they confirmed that the US do NOT have access to any criminal records etc. by computer.They also said that if asked to provide them it is not a certainty even then that they would.This does not include serious crimes like murder obviously.

How on earth could the US access criminal records,spent convictions and cautions even etc. from every country whose citizens visit the US,the truth is I'm pretty sure they can't I think these new rules are kind of scare tactics because who wants to take a chance on turning up at the airport with their family and being turned away.

I'm sure soemone will come along and tell me I'm wrong!

I know it's easy to say but I wouldn't worry any more if you can help it.

 

[peewakio]

The machine readable part of your passport is just the information that is actually visible on your passport. There are no criminal records etc.

Just look forward to your holiday. It costs too much money to be worrying about trivialities.

 

[horsemouth]

My friend was prosecuted for three offences - drink driving, possession of cannibis, and possession of a weapon,

Sounds like a nice friend - my brother was killed through an ******* drink driver - If I had my way - I would have banned his sorry hide from ever driving again.


Horse