USA Holiday And Visas

[mer1axh]

I'm going on Holiday with friends in 4 weeks and it has just emerged that 10 years ago he was arrested for shoplifting and was fined. He knows he was stupid but know the past has come to haunt him! Ive looked at this web site and would like feedback on whether he will be able to get in under the VWP ?, Will the offence from 10 yars ago show up at us immigration? Any help on this so I can advise him would be appreciated!!

[mushroom25]

officially, any convictions must be declared & will render the individual ineligible for visa waiver. however 4 weeks probably isn't long enough to do the official thing and obtain a visa.

will the conviction show at immigration if undeclared? I don't know, but the risk of being turned back at point of entry will be ever present. your friend might well decide to take that risk.

[Buenchico]

Your friend can't legally enter the US because he requires a visa and the minimum time to acquire one is 4 months. (You have to wait, often for several weeks, until you can get an appointment for an interview at the US embassy in London. After the interview, the minimum time to hear whether your application has been granted is 14 weeks).

Your friend will have to risk attempting to enter the US under the VWP (and conveniently 'forgetting' about his criminal conviction). At the present time, the US immigration authorities do not have direct access to the UK criminal records database (although the US government continues to press for such access). Certain information is routinely passed on from the UK to the US but, as the offence is unrelated to potential terrorist activities and does not involve either drugs or sexual misconduct, it's extremely unlikely that US immigration officials will know about it.

Chris