will my friends us visa be refused?

[gordo85]

my friend was convicted, during his school days, of smoking cannabis a number of years ago. This is his only conviction and is wondering if his visa application will be refused because of this.

[dot.hawkes]

If it was his first offence it would have only been a caution surely. This would have been spent by the time he was 18, you should have got one of those police check reports first.

[dzug]

In US immigration's eyes a conviction is never spent, though I would have thought that the chances of them knowing about one such as this are slim unless you tell them. But no-one really knows what information has been shared, and once there it can be kept by the US after it's been expunged here.

It's unlikely to lead to a visa being denied though

[lady_p_gold]

Well you don't need a visa just to go there for a holiday is your friend thinking of staying for a longer time ?? If they are going to go in on the visa waiver scheme then the form you fill in on the plane does ask the question about convictions for drugs .. whether he wants to risk saying 'no' is up to him. Here is the form

www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_14753.asp

[lady_p_gold]

I suppose it can be interpreted in different ways ... how one defines a 'violation' etc.

[dzug]

Bear in mind that if he goes under the visa waiver scheme and says 'yes' to the crime question, he will almost certainly be turned away.

If he declares it on a visa application form in advance (ie goes to the Embassy) he will almost certainly be given a visa. There will be some humming and hahing, and they'll probably have to refer back to base, but the end result will be a yes.