USA with repremand

[tiffanie09]

When I was 17 I was found with a class c drug and was given a caution and repremand for 5 years which ends in 2010. A surprise holiday was then booked for me to go to las vegas in July but I have 2 worries!! 1. Will I be granted a visa as I was never convicted for the offence and 2. Will it process in time as I have heard it can take up to 6 months. Need some advise pleeeeeease!!!!

[bednobs]

A caution is an admission of guilt, therefore, no need for a "conviction" as such. as far as i'm aware, any one wh has been arrested for hatever reason even if they were released with no charge is ineligible to go on the visa waiver programme, meaning you'll need to apply for a visa.

[bednobs]

just realised, that didnt answer either of your q's, sorry!

[jno]

the short answer is: don't apply for a visa. Fill out the online ESTA form and the green visa waiver card you get given on the plane, and don't mention the caution. The Americans don't generally acknowledge that a caution runs out, though they make some allowance for youthful misdemeanours, so as far as they're concerned you could be an undesirable for many years to come; but they won't know if you don't tell them.

This answer is technically illegal, so kindly eat it after reading.

[Banali]

See Sal69s question and answers below yours.

[dzug]

Not for whatever reason, bedknobs - the arrest or conviction has to be for a crime of moral turpitude or one or two other categories eg involving controlled substances or genocide.

I doubt if OP would get a visa if he tried - the only thing going in his favour was that he was under age when the crime was committed.

[bobs1975]

I think the age is 16 for the young offenders ruling to kick in with American Immigration.

Not all arrests, cautions and convictions need visa's to visit the US. It's a matter of whether the crime involved moral turpitude which is a mine field in itself. The embassy put it on the website that all arrests, cons, should seek a visa application as its to complex to answer over the phone.

A drug conviction is certainly a crime involving moral turpitude and there are waivers for this type of crime. A crime involving possession of a class C drug may be eligible for a waiver (ie Amy Winehouse got a waiver eventually) - there's no hard and fast rule here. The only way to find out is to apply for a visa, and yes - this may take some time so best to put the application in before booking the holiday.