Travelling to the US with a Criminal Record

[ellis81]

I am due to visit the US in a few weeks for a short break (4days) and I was wondering if I need to declare a Police Caution? Does anyone know if US authorities have access to UK records to check?

[dzug]

If you are going to the US 'in a few weeks' you have no chance of getting a visa in time.

If you declare the crime on the visa waiver application form you WILL be refused entry when you tell them it is drug related. They have no option.

So you have no choice but to tick the no box on the visa waiver form or ESTA.

[pink-kittens]

Bob, thanks
You've made this a little easier to understand.
I shall be reading thoroughly and twice, even thrice through all relevant forms at the time we hope to travel.

[kellogs100]

When are you going then? This question has been very helpful to me too because I think I have a causion but I was never actually arrested. They came to my house and causioned me. At least I think thats what it was.

I was thinking though that many people must not admit to a causion when they go over there. So many people it seems have them, mostly for silly things they did when they were younger.

They can't possibly suspect and check every single person that comes through. Especially as like others have said they don't have free access to our police records.

[uno.who]

Ellis The Police National Computer is weeded after 5 years and a caution is NOT a conviction. I'd take my chances and tell them nowt.

[biologist]

The fingerprints are just for immigration fraud, applications, entry exit monitoring etc. The UK, USA, Canada, OZ and NZ ONLY share fingerprints on immigration cases. The UK has no business sharing fingerprints on every person in the UK unless you are a proper hardened criminal/trafficker/murderer etc. Sharing every fingerprint would not help in anti-terrorism. Why should any person with a spent conviction fess upto the waker yanks that they made a mistake. I do think the yanks just want everyone to fess up 'cos the UK won't give them access to all UK criminal records. Unless you're on interpol, USA watchlist then I do think you will have any problems. The immigration process is a joke. The UK realises that people can make mikstakes in life, hence "The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act". I guess the questions on the green card are to deter the big boy criminals from bothering entering the USA, but people with minor records are getting scared of this. Just tick NO, smile, be polite and enjoy the USA. If not, go to one of the other fantastic countries in this world.

[brenner12]

on the subject of criminal records, if the US had access to them why would they bother to ask for you to apply for a disclosure form off the police?? Does anyone know of anyone who has been refused entry for having a caution? there are lots of people posting on sites but not many ( if any) say they ended up getting stopped?