Tourist Visa to the US

AS_Platinum

AS_Platinum

AS_Platinum

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The Mrs & I have discussed about visiting the US, and the conversation popped up with her employee today, where her employee and friends we're setting up a trip to the US but one of the people has been denied an Visa for something he did 25 years ago, I don't know what for, and frankly don't care - I suspect quite low key (Just something stupid he done in his youth).

However, in transpires that my lovely little fiancée got convicted of affray in her younger years and had to serve community service. What are the chances of her actually gaining a tourist visa with her terrible criminal record now?
 
Try it and see. ESTA only costs about £10 as far as I remember. They are also valid for 2 years I think? So may as well apply now and see what happens.
 
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

Wasn't too hard to google that :p

I doubt it'd cost too much issue, but they can be quite strict. For refrence, I've been charged for breach of the peace when I was younger (only a monetary fine tbf) and I was ok. IIRC it asks you how long ago, if serious etc. You go through the questions before paying.
 
If it was that long ago, I don't know that I'd even bother to put anything in terms of convictions.

It may or may not get you in a lot of trouble if you forget to put it on there though, I have no idea if they check that sort of thing after application. :p

AS_Platinum said:
Thanks, I shall pass the info onto the criminal ;)
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No prob. Good luck! :D
 
ESTA isn't a VISA, but is a VISA-waiver (so you fill it out and pay to say you don't need a VISA)

It is applicable to certain nations such as UK citizens that want to travel to the US, but it does have some restrictions such as convictions and (now) if you've visited some other countries.

You can try it and see. Depends if it was a conviction that is held on record.
 
C.R.A.Z.Y said:
Any drug convictions will see you banned from entering America (Unless of course you are silly rich and/or a celebrity:rolleyes:
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That's not really true, for a nonimmigrant visa you can apply for a waiver of inadmissibility and they do grant them if long enough has passed since the conviction and it wasn't too serious. There's basically no waiver available if you want an immigrant visa though.

bsoltan said:
ESTA isn't a VISA, but is a VISA-waiver (so you fill it out and pay to say you don't need a VISA)
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If we're going to be pedantic VISA is a type of credit card, you mean a visa ;)
 
OllyM said:
That's not really true, for a nonimmigrant visa you can apply for a waiver of inadmissibility and they do grant them if long enough has passed since the conviction and it wasn't too serious. There's basically no waiver available if you want an immigrant visa though.



If we're going to be pedantic VISA is a type of credit card, you mean a visa ;)
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timmeh said:
While we're being pedantic VISA is a financial services company as they offer more than just credit cards ;)
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And if we are being really pedantic its not a visa at all it's part of the Visa Waiver Program https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/esta
 
Now bear with me on this, but when we went to America and we were completing the ESTA process I'm sure it said that if you had any convictions (regardless of it they are spent or not) you had to declare them and go through the visa process.

However my question is how would they know especially if they are spent convictions???? Does the UK government share that level of information with foreign governments for the purposes of travel? Or is it a case of the American boarder control weeding out the 'honest' traveller. A bit like people who say no to the question 'have you packed your own bags'
 
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