Visa's with criminal conviction

Associate
Joined
23 May 2006
Posts
558
I'm hoping someone can answer this as i'm hoping to go travelling next year.

My understanding is you can get into the US still if you have a criminal conviction. people have been known to lie on the waiver forms and nothing as been done. i know your taking a risk but i know going through the propper channels wouldnt work in my case so its worth that risk...

If you flying into the US from another country like tokyo, i take it you will need to get a visa even being a british citizen or do you qualify still under the waiver program ? whats the scenario behind getting a visa in the US ? would they do full criminal checks on you ? or would it just be best to fly straight to the US from UK ? This would mean flying to NY which ive read is tough on security. Obviously this will all depend which way i start my world travel.

I've never been abroad before so i dont know the ins and outs of visa's and what they can find out about you.


What about countries such as china and australia aswell.. I've heard australia is tight on security and you require a visa to enter. has anyone bent the truth or lied about convictions when entering either of these countries.?
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Aug 2004
Posts
7,386
Location
North East England
You arn't lying to your mum here, you're lying to get into another country with a different government. If anything goes wrong I hope you'll accept the consequences and responsibility.
 
Associate
Joined
11 Aug 2004
Posts
339
Location
Edinburgh/Armagh
As long as it is not a major crime you should be OK. The police in this country have big enough problems telling the station 5 miles down the road who has criminal convictions, let alone having a database for the US to snoop into! There is a reason why it takes so long for an employer to run a criminal record check, there is no central databse! They have to go to individual police districts etc.

Just tick NO in response to having any criminal convictions, have researched this myself and nearly everyone gets through no questions asked.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
23 May 2006
Posts
558
In short I was arrested for possesing blank firing guns that was deemed as being able to discharg noxious liquid or gas... it was very grey area but still landed me a conviction under the firearms act. no one will want know when you tell them about that conviction. I know the US would laugh and think i'm some sort of terrorist so why give them that satisfaction
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Jun 2005
Posts
13,958
if its anything to do with drugs your knackered

for some reason the US seem to be really paranoid about people going there to deal drugs :s

edit- oops too late
 
Associate
Joined
11 Aug 2004
Posts
339
Location
Edinburgh/Armagh
As long as it is not a major crime you should be OK. The police in this country have big enough problems telling the station 5 miles down the road who has criminal convictions, let alone having a database for the US to snoop into! There is a reason why it takes so long for an employer to run a criminal record check, there is no central databse! They have to go to individual police districts etc.

Just tick NO in response to having any criminal convictions, have researched this myself and nearly everyone gets through no questions asked.


This does not apply if you are applying for a visa however! only if you are using the waiver visa thingy, i.e. when you just fill out a slip on the plane.
 
Commissario
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
32,996
Location
Panting like a fiend
But if they do a check and find out you lied, it's seen as a fairly serious offence by US immigration.

The worst that can happen to the op is that he loses the money he's spent on his holiday, gets sent home and banned from entering the US for anything from a few months to the rest of his life (I don't think they jail you for it*, but the time between the chat with the immigration officer and getting thrown on the first flight back is not generally much fun).

Australia is I think even stricter than the US at times, and has a much tighter border in general (it helps with it being a relatively isolated island), but i'm not sure how lenient they are with Brits.



*Although if you look slightly arab I wouldn't like to bet against the chances of a funky orange jumpsuit and a prolonged holidy in Cuba.
 
Permabanned
Joined
31 Dec 2007
Posts
10,034
looking at the embassy website your gonna have to jump through a lot of hoops to get a visa, unless you lie under the VWP but then thats risking it
 
Associate
Joined
23 Oct 2004
Posts
2,441
Location
Brighton
What exactly was the offence? If it is "gun related crime", probably no chance of getting in!

My understanding is that you have to contact the US Embassy before you travel and arrange a visa there.

If you enter on the green form on the plane that you have been arrested, then expect to be denied entry and retuned to the point of departure.

There was a story not long ago, about a woman who ticked the box on the plane. When she was interviewed in the USA immigration, she said she was arrested at a demonstration. She was returned home.

USA immigration is a very serious affair. I have seen people shouted at as they text on their mobile phones while queing!
 
Last edited:
Associate
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
1,274
Location
Birmingham
My friend is having to get a visa from the American Embassy in london and his conviction was for a driving offence. I would book an appointment and see them, it's not worth ruining your trip if you get caught. It takes about 3 months to get an appointment and costs around £80 iirc.
 
Back
Top Bottom