usa visa

[acko]

have a drink drive conviction from 20 years ago so do i need a visa for a holiday to florida at xmas

[Booldawg]

As long as you have a new style passport with the micro-chip on the back, no serious convictions and you're from the EU then you can fill out the green card on the plane.

The convictions that are flagged up on the shared EU/US crime database are for incredibly serious crimes only eg terrorism, murder, firearms offences etc.

I had a bit of a panic on about this last year as I visited the US for the 1st time and had a few misdeamenours in my youth. Nothing to worry about...

[Buenchico]

Further to Booldawg's post:

Officially (i.e. according the to the information on the US embassy website) you're ineligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program and you must obtain a visa. Since it usually takes two or three months just to get an appointment for the interview at the US embassy, you've absolutely no chance of getting a visa for Christmas travel.

So, as Booldawg suggests, you'll have to simply keep quiet about your conviction. At present, you can simply fill in a form on the plane (while, of course, conveniently 'forgetting' about your conviction). Alternatively, you can complete the procedure online, prior to travel. (From 12 January 2009 this method will be compulsory). Whichever method you use, don't mention your conviction as to do so would be admitting to your inelegibility to travel without a visa, which would automatically bar you from entering the USA.

For further information, check out the links in the 'ESTA' box, at the top right of this page:
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/

Chris

[dzug]

Drink driving is not a crime involving moral turpitude and therefore it is totally legitimate for you to use the visa waiver/ESTA schemes. You will not be lying when you tick the no box.

The information on the US Embassy website is wrong (well oversimplified to the point of being totally misleading) and has no basis in US law.

[tigwig]

My hubby got a vise for drink driving at the time we didn't know it wasn't necessary. When we got to the US immigration held him back and asked him why he had a visa. When he told them the woman couldn't believe thats all it was and was completely amazed! She thought he's been to prison for a really serious offence.
As dzug says drink driving is not a crime of moral turpitude anyway.