USA tourist visa

[Fat Boy]

Hi everyone.  I'm hoping to visit the USA very soon for a short holiday & as a UK national I wouldn't normally have to apply for a visa.  But someone at work said that as I was arrested once (one drunken night 17 years ago) although I was never charged I would have to apply for a visa & go for an interview in London.  Is this right?  If I was never charged would there actually be a record?  I don't want to cause myself any problems at immigration but I also don't want to waste time & money applying for something I don't need.

[Dom Tuk]

If you were not charged then you dont have a record. did you get a formal caution??. In any case i dont think UK authorities share this level of information with the USA. If every arrest not resulting in a charge 9for the past 17 years) was revealed to the US immigration authorities they would need a supercomputer to store and access all that info from every country. Yes if there was a conviction but not for a night in the cell. I think you will be Ok to travel without a visa.

[MargeB]

From my memory of forms, US authorities are aware of this issue and normally state that as well as anything which would normally give you a record in the UK, they want to know also if you were ever charged or arrested. I am sure, really, that Britain and the USA share far more information that either ever let on, and that the USA has its own access to british criminal databases that britain is not aware of (Echelon, etc etc).
My whole point in mentioning this is that the US authorities categorically state that if you supply false information on an application, and they find out, they will never let you back in again. And it'll be no more hamburgers and mickey for you!

It's you own call. could go either way.

[MargeB]

And by the way, I am aware of this 'Rehabilitation of Offenders Act' in the UK, but the police still store old records for 'intelligence' purposes.
You can always find out! Write to them and demand a copy of all the information they have on you. They have to supply it, unless it compromises 'current investigations'.
Good luck mate.

[Bangkok]

There would be no record but there may be a need to disclose it to the US Immigration authorities.  Whilst they have more to worry about than drunken Brits on the toot two decades ago, they do say that being arrested should be disclosed.  Check with the US Embassy whether being drunk (a crime allegedly committed by a number of prominent US citizens) is reportable.

[MargeB]

Bangkok, I'm shocked by your answer. Surely you're not trying to suggest that their president ever got in a drunken state?????:-). Shouldn't he have to check out with Fatboy if it's ok to come visit the UK? Good for the goose, I say...

[asador]

www.usafis.org

www.official-green-card.org