Vis Waiver Program to the US....

[Loosehead]

I got to thinking about this whilst answering another Q. It is well known that if you have even been arrested technically you should get a visa for a holiday in the US, however the question is how would they know? I mean does the UK communicate every arrest to the US? Anyone actually KNOW the facts here? I'm only talking about arrests that result in conviction. Thanks

[NORMANTHEDOG]

The british goverment do not allow the US government any access to our criminal records,they only inform them of people who they believe,are a threat to security,people involved in drugs,ie running,supplying etc.and people who are a danger to the public.if they had access, hardly anyone would get in the states.

[JonnoGenie]

The assertion that if you have 'ever been arrested' you must get a visa to visit the US, is false.

[Loosehead]

Thanks Norman.

Of course my last sentence should have the word Don't before the word "result".

Care to elaborate jonnoGenie, I was going by the US embassy web site:

ab it down this page:
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/ vwp.html

It says "...Some travelers may not be eligible to enter the United States visa free under the VWP. These include people who have been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction"

[munchie63]

well, I played safe and applied for a visa.

even though my 'crime' was 'obstruction' - basically failing to move on when told to do so by a policeman with no sense of humour. This was 10 years ago.

I can't see how the US would ever know, unless it was a drug offence, or a serious criminal charge.
But, I figured I'd play safe.
And, I asked the Visa official, 'did I actually need one'. The answer was yes - although, she smiled and told me my �25 fine for loitering wasn't really an issue.

[JonnoGenie]

No, I've been through it before a few times here. But I got nicked for DUI in the US in the early 90's, and have been quizzed on this (they see it on their system when I go through immigration, I can hardly pretend it did not happen) at 'port of entry' at least 15 times over the last 10 years, including at least 5 times last year - so they know I have a criminal record, I admit it, we discuss it. They have let me enter on the Visa Waiver Scheme, every time.

For a similar charge in the UK, my understanding is that they would have no idea, no clue I had a record...

I applied for a B1/B2 visa at the end of last year, because I'm just sick of the questioning (once they find something they dig, and accuse, (and bully), and it's not that nice after a long day of travel).

But given what I have told you, tell me, why I should consider someone needs a visa to enter the states if they have ever been arrested etc... When I did what these people say is impossible, with full disclosure to immigration, five or more times just this past year...


Have fun!

[Loosehead]

OK jonno, but the why is the assertion false? that's what I'm asking.

I'm talking about arrests made in UK nothing related to crime of any kind in the US. It very clearly says that you need a Visa even if you have been arrested. I now am mindful of the fact that the US cannot possibly know but that's not the point of my question to you:

So I ask again why is the "assertion false"? Is the webste wrong? I am not doubting you know more about this than me I am just trying to understand why the assertion is false. Ie it may be possible to ignore the rules because they cannot know but that does not mean the rules do not exist or indeed apply.

[jno]

I'm sure Mr Blair would like to hand over to Mr Bush everything he has on you, including the millions of miles of CCTV footage and the information from the tracking devices in your car that say where you are right now. But there's just too much data, too little time. Whenever this question comes up, the consensus is that it can't be done and it isn't (though I'm not speaking from personal experience here).

Presumably if there were no visa requirements, and they discovered you were Trotsky once you were in the country, they'd have to stage an expensive show trial, of whose outcome they were uncertain, to try to expel you. This way, all they have to do is say you lied on an entry form and can throw you out at once.