Hi i've just been informed my 1 of my friends that if you've had any convictions in this country you have to have a visa to get into the USA even if you have got a passport before oct 2004 and i'm reading the thread on a different forum right now about it all can someone please advise as to what is right and what is wrong please
cmale35
Hi
Yes you do need to apply for a Visa..... see this one
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums...riminal,record
Do a general search on criminal record and see what else comes up.
It depends I suppose on how serious the offence was, as to whether you would get a visa. I am not recommending this, but I do know someone who has a criminal record, they are in Florida at the moment travelling on the Visa Waiver. You could risk going, but if they find your record you do stand the risk of being put straight back on the plane to the UK.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Claire
The US Embassy website may give you the answers
www.usembassy.org.uk
so does that mean that all of you have applied for the visas even if you have a minor offence even when you was a child?
cmale35
I personally havent got any offences, but I know of lot's of people who have minor offences including driving, who have not applied for a visa, basically because they did not know that you had to!!
I only found out that you needed one whilst checking for a friend. This all came to light, because on the back of the green visa waiver form, there is a question which asks whether you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence.
If you hadn't of heard that you needed a visa and you were up in the air filling out the form, how would you answer???
When are you going?
Claire
There is a huge 10 page debate about this subject here on this site.
Pages 9 and 10 are probably most relevant as they are most recent.
[website link edited]
I've gotta step in here and say that on this forum we don't advise anyone to break the law! If you have any arrests or convictions, you should apply for a B2 visitors' visa which is US Immigration law.
It's not something new, it has been in existence for at least ten years to my knowledge and, as with entry into other world countries, if the authorities require you to have a visa, this should be applied for. The US doesn't recognise 'spent' convictions as we do here in the UK so it doesn't matter how long ago the offence(s) was/were committed.
The timescale quoted on the US Embassy website is the worst case scenario and generally visas are issued in a much shorter timescale.
blott
no 1 said anything about breaking the law just wasn't informed about this law about the visa which we was told would be coming into force after october 2004 but now it seems it already exists.
Can those who have travelled already since January please let us know if you have a visa
cmale35
If you have a conviction, spent or current then you need a Visa, as you cant travel on
the Visa Waver. This has been the case for many years.
The change from October this year are a change to the Passports, you will need a new
Biometric passport. If you do not have one of these new passports you will then need
to get a Visa as well
The UK will not be ready to issue these for another year or so, hence the need to renew
your passport now, or you will have to get a Visa
Hope this helps
Chrisj
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