Worried about visa application

[warrior]

i DONT KNOW IF THIS HELPS BUT WHEN I WORKED AT VIRGIN all the info on the passengers was sent to the usa as sson as the plane took off so they knew who was arriving etc! They would then have 9ish hours to do any checks they wanted to do

I thought about that but how many flights are going to the USA from the UK in a day, so it's not just one flight. This is why I wonder if it's a dip sample rather than everyone? I guess they would have to get the UK Police to do the checks as I doubt if the Americans have access to the British criminal records?

PS I don't have a criminal record and am a regular traveller to the USA, but it's something I've often wondered.

 

[orangetiggs]

Oh me neither and we are regular travellers as well, I was just amazed they did this, I guess they scan them for names or just something that might stick out maybe. Who knows what they look for!

We fly on monday so I'm hoping for quick immagration

 

[Goofyish]

i DONT KNOW IF THIS HELPS BUT WHEN I WORKED AT VIRGIN all the info on the passengers was sent to the usa as sson as the plane took off so they knew who was arriving etc! They would then have 9ish hours to do any checks they wanted to do

Everyone knows that all the passenger information is downloaded to Jack Bauer's mobile phone at CTU and he does a quick check for any known terrorists

 

[GarthBrooks5150]

Heres a trip report I wrote back in 2003,Hope it helps!!

This is a trip report with a difference!! Its all about my journey to London for my visa !!
Im not the fastest typer in the world so It’s a little test for the holiday report due at Christmas!
My story began 7 weeks ago when I made the appointment for a visa which I need due to a very petty crime 23 years ago,I gathered all documentatiion including copys of the court papers tracked down to a archivist office! And a lovely sheet of paper courtesy of Scotland Yard which says Im unknown to the police IE No Record but In US law they never wipe records so I had to track down the documentation.
The plan was I was driving to Yorkshire depositing my Wife and 2 DDs Then getting the National Express bus down Which left there at 11.20 PM and travelling overnight,Why not the bus from where I live? that’s because I live in a VERY secluded part of The UK which is about 350 miles from London so the buses are very few and very expensive too,I didn’t want to drive to London My car is a 2.0 Gti which guzzles petrol!! Plus where do you park near the American Embassey!!!
Anyway after all the forms were checked and double checked the night before departure It was I thought all systems go then I checked and found out Their passport pics are bigger than ours!! No stone unturned the I find this out!!! So a bit of Google searching I find a place in Stockport does them 120 miles from me and just a slight detour on the way to Yorkshire,I actuall find out later there was tons of places in London but I didn’t want to go wihout one as I m a nerdy worrier!!
So next day we set off Get to Stockport park in Sainsburys,Get the pic done £8!!!!! Wife finds a Laura Ashley ( I had no clue what that was!!) buys a skirt thts reduced from £60 to £20 Go in Sainsburys spend £8 on water,batteries and sweets so my pic cost me £36! Anyway Onward deposit family at my In Laws in Yorkshire,I get on bus depart and had the grumpiest driver and co driver in history!! The bus picks up everywhere!!! Gets held up at Milton Keynes due to an accident and roll into London at 7.10 PM,Londons a culture shock to me that time of morning and its heaving! Anyway I get to Oxford st.And have a Starbucks (Best Cappucino Ive ever had Awesome!) Phone Wife on my mobile,Buy eldest DD some postcards for her collection,Youngest DD a vest from Disney store and my wife some fruit teabags from Whittards of Chelsea!
Then I make my way down to American Embassey,When I approach Im in Total Culture shock mode!! The building reminds me of one of the world trade centre buildings but only about 5 stories high a great big huge square building,With concrete wall right round and totally covered with UK Police with guns!! Anyway I get in line and show appointment letter and passport to Very Pleasant American who Im informed later is FBI!! I don’t know if that’s true but it makes sense! Then I show passport to an English chap who ticks me in,Then through security where my bag is xrayed then through another desk Then into a huge room where I hand my forms in and given a ticket number 162,At this point may I say everyone I dealt with US Staff ( A lot of Americans In Corridor) and UK Security were the nicest people you could meet,Pleasant and friendly beyond expectations,Anyway I settle down for a 4 hour wait then called up at 2.30 PM The Visa issuer asked me a few questions then said no problem Im granting you a 10 year visa,I was over the moon!!
At this point Im saying it again How extremely friendly everyone was Why cant everyone in this country be the same?? On the way out the armed police officer let me out the gate with a friendly “See ya,Take care!”
Times almost 3 PM now my bus back is 5PM so I phone the wife to give her the good news Then do the other thing I wanted to do,Go to Tower Bridge and see David Blaine,Ive been a fan for a long time always following his stunts So I jump on the tube get off at Tower Hill walk across Tower Bridge (This kind of thing does not happen to me often!) Then I make out the Tank but Hes lying down all the way Im walking across which saddened me a little then as on queue while I was walking down the steps he stood up to huge applause! I walked round David was waving to the crowd and seemed in grreat spirits Then I got talking to one of his security guards and asked if the smell of burger and onions wafting over grom nearby burger van is a problem and he told me Davids that strong a mind he wont even be aware of the smell,Then suddenly the guard says look quick and Davids waving at me!! I get a pic at this point Im thinking this day is so cool!!
4.15 PM and now thinking Id better make my way back to Victoria Station So I give David a little prayer to give him strength,Buy a hot dog from van as at this point Ive not eaten for 24 hours Must be hard for David to last 44 days….
Get on bus back oop North met at huddersfield at 10.20 pm by Father in Law in bed at 11 pm im asleep when head hits pillow,Get up at 9 AM hit road at 9.30 AM for the 130 mile journey home and I have to pick up Merlin (My Dog and best mate) from the Kennels before 12 noon.
I really enjoyed my time in London I just wish I had more time to do things Like tube out to Highbury (Yes Im A Northern Gooner!!) etc I was sat in Embassey for 4 hours but hey I got My Visa at the end of the day…
My final comments are people are getting stressed out with the thought of visa application,Don’t worry they are the nicest people youd have to deal with and they make things very pleasant for you…..Cheers and Thanks for reading Im off to bed for a week now!!!! IAN5150

 

[alisonbestford]

Hi,
My sister was charged with an assault about 10yrs ago and subsequently admonished for it. When we went to Florida last year we were in the same kind of dilema as we didn't know whether she should apply for a visa or not.

She decided to take a chance on the green waiver form (as she went to the police where she was told the offence was now spent) and she had no problem getting in. I'm not saying don't apply for the visa just thought I'd share her experience with you.
However when starting a new job recently she had to apply for a disclosure check (or whatever it's called!!) and this showed up on it, so although she was told the offence was "spent" it was still on record and as I said she had no problem getting in.

DH husband was arrested, and given a conditional discharge for ABH, 18 years ago.

We travelled on the Waiver scheme twice before I realised he should have applied for a visa

When he rang the Embassy it cost £7 for them to tell him that yes, he should have a visa but, if he applied, he probably wouldn't get one because he'd 'lied' on the waiver form previously

In the end he didn't bother applying and has travelled twice more on the waiver system with no problems

 

[Netty]

i DONT KNOW IF THIS HELPS BUT WHEN I WORKED AT VIRGIN all the info on the passengers was sent to the usa as sson as the plane took off so they knew who was arriving etc! They would then have 9ish hours to do any checks they wanted to do

They can only check against their own so called wanted list i thought, as they have not got access to britains police list of offences.

 

[OrlandoMagic]

Heres a trip report I wrote back in 2003,Hope it helps!!

This is a trip report with a difference!! Its all about my journey to London for my visa !!
Im not the fastest typer in the world so It’s a little test for the holiday report due at Christmas!
My story began 7 weeks ago when I made the appointment for a visa which I need due to a very petty crime 23 years ago,I gathered all documentatiion including copys of the court papers tracked down to a archivist office! And a lovely sheet of paper courtesy of Scotland Yard which says Im unknown to the police IE No Record but In US law they never wipe records so I had to track down the documentation.
The plan was I was driving to Yorkshire depositing my Wife and 2 DDs Then getting the National Express bus down Which left there at 11.20 PM and travelling overnight,Why not the bus from where I live? that’s because I live in a VERY secluded part of The UK which is about 350 miles from London so the buses are very few and very expensive too,I didn’t want to drive to London My car is a 2.0 Gti which guzzles petrol!! Plus where do you park near the American Embassey!!!
Anyway after all the forms were checked and double checked the night before departure It was I thought all systems go then I checked and found out Their passport pics are bigger than ours!! No stone unturned the I find this out!!! So a bit of Google searching I find a place in Stockport does them 120 miles from me and just a slight detour on the way to Yorkshire,I actuall find out later there was tons of places in London but I didn’t want to go wihout one as I m a nerdy worrier!!
So next day we set off Get to Stockport park in Sainsburys,Get the pic done £8!!!!! Wife finds a Laura Ashley ( I had no clue what that was!!) buys a skirt thts reduced from £60 to £20 Go in Sainsburys spend £8 on water,batteries and sweets so my pic cost me £36! Anyway Onward deposit family at my In Laws in Yorkshire,I get on bus depart and had the grumpiest driver and co driver in history!! The bus picks up everywhere!!! Gets held up at Milton Keynes due to an accident and roll into London at 7.10 PM,Londons a culture shock to me that time of morning and its heaving! Anyway I get to Oxford st.And have a Starbucks (Best Cappucino Ive ever had Awesome!) Phone Wife on my mobile,Buy eldest DD some postcards for her collection,Youngest DD a vest from Disney store and my wife some fruit teabags from Whittards of Chelsea!
Then I make my way down to American Embassey,When I approach Im in Total Culture shock mode!! The building reminds me of one of the world trade centre buildings but only about 5 stories high a great big huge square building,With concrete wall right round and totally covered with UK Police with guns!! Anyway I get in line and show appointment letter and passport to Very Pleasant American who Im informed later is FBI!! I don’t know if that’s true but it makes sense! Then I show passport to an English chap who ticks me in,Then through security where my bag is xrayed then through another desk Then into a huge room where I hand my forms in and given a ticket number 162,At this point may I say everyone I dealt with US Staff ( A lot of Americans In Corridor) and UK Security were the nicest people you could meet,Pleasant and friendly beyond expectations,Anyway I settle down for a 4 hour wait then called up at 2.30 PM The Visa issuer asked me a few questions then said no problem Im granting you a 10 year visa,I was over the moon!!
At this point Im saying it again How extremely friendly everyone was Why cant everyone in this country be the same?? On the way out the armed police officer let me out the gate with a friendly “See ya,Take care!”
Times almost 3 PM now my bus back is 5PM so I phone the wife to give her the good news Then do the other thing I wanted to do,Go to Tower Bridge and see David Blaine,Ive been a fan for a long time always following his stunts So I jump on the tube get off at Tower Hill walk across Tower Bridge (This kind of thing does not happen to me often!) Then I make out the Tank but Hes lying down all the way Im walking across which saddened me a little then as on queue while I was walking down the steps he stood up to huge applause! I walked round David was waving to the crowd and seemed in grreat spirits Then I got talking to one of his security guards and asked if the smell of burger and onions wafting over grom nearby burger van is a problem and he told me Davids that strong a mind he wont even be aware of the smell,Then suddenly the guard says look quick and Davids waving at me!! I get a pic at this point Im thinking this day is so cool!!
4.15 PM and now thinking Id better make my way back to Victoria Station So I give David a little prayer to give him strength,Buy a hot dog from van as at this point Ive not eaten for 24 hours Must be hard for David to last 44 days….
Get on bus back oop North met at huddersfield at 10.20 pm by Father in Law in bed at 11 pm im asleep when head hits pillow,Get up at 9 AM hit road at 9.30 AM for the 130 mile journey home and I have to pick up Merlin (My Dog and best mate) from the Kennels before 12 noon.
I really enjoyed my time in London I just wish I had more time to do things Like tube out to Highbury (Yes Im A Northern Gooner!!) etc I was sat in Embassey for 4 hours but hey I got My Visa at the end of the day…
My final comments are people are getting stressed out with the thought of visa application,Don’t worry they are the nicest people youd have to deal with and they make things very pleasant for you…..Cheers and Thanks for reading Im off to bed for a week now!!!! IAN5150

Thanks for posting the trip report, it's good to hear that they are all friendly there, the place looks quite scary!

Can you remember what sort of questions the visa issuer asked you?

 

[warrior]

From what's being said it seems quite hard to get a visa to enter the US if you've had a previous conviction. Don't get me wrong I can understand their reluctance to allow 'probelms' to enter but some poeple have made mistakes in their past and it doesn't mean they are still a risk.

I think the system makes more people NOT disclose their previous convictions and take a risk.

If someone had a previous conviction I wouldn't know what I'd advise them to do - it's a tricky one.

 

[wicket2005]

I read a news report on the net the other day about finger print scanning and the USA introducing 10 digit scanning instead of the two. It said the computer instantly checks its data base for matching criminal fingerprints but it isn't foolproof and some people have been wrongly identified as a criminal. Just shows another thing they are doing as we enter the USA.

 

[warrior]

I read a news report on the net the other day about finger print scanning and the USA introducing 10 digit scanning instead of the two. It said the computer instantly checks its data base for matching criminal fingerprints but it isn't foolproof and some people have been wrongly identified as a criminal. Just shows another thing they are doing as we enter the USA.

I've also heard that there will be a stricter entry process into the USA but am not aware that it has been introduced yet.

I still don't think that the USA immigration or Homeland security can have direct access to the British criminal record dept.

As I said, it's not an issue for me, but I do wonder what the process is.