US VISA WAIVER PROGRAMME

[ritajonescross]

Unlike others, I have a different issue. i was not convicted in UK but USA some 26 years ago. Foolish mistake, got involved with charge of mail fraud which is under moral turpitude. I have no criminal convictions in UK or anywhere ever since,. I have not been back to US and would like to visit under visa waiver programme. The guide book says that under VWP, you do not have to go for finger print scan, all other visa holders have to go through that. Can anyone who has travelled to US under VWP, have you gone through finger print scan? if not, I do not have to worry about declaring my conviction nor getting a visa. Rest assured, I am not on US most wanted list either. I called a lawyer in USA to ask this but he did not know. I also asked him if my finger prints would show up after all these years? He did not know that either. He just told me not to bother coming back! perhaps, he does not like convicted people. If so, he is in the wrong profession. Can anyone help please?

[ABerrant]

A visa only allows travel, not entry, to the issuing country. Thus travelling to the US using visa or visa-waiver (whatever the conditions needed to be met for their grant e.g. fingerprinting required of applicants for visa but not for VWP) only gets you to a port of entry. At every US port of entry visitors must then meet the requirements of the US-VISIT programme. It is this programme which mandates the collection of biometric data, which includes digital fingerprinting, of (almost) all non-US citizens.

[sumo19]

People with Visas and those who travel on the Visa Waiver Program coming to enter the USA will have their finger prints checked. You may be referring to the fact that people who apply for visas must give a copy of their finger prints to the US authorities at the consulate.

You are ineligible to travel under the visa waiver program. You must apply for a visa.

How old were you at the time of the conviction? What was the outcome of the case, what punishments such as prison or fines were given to you? (both those questions are important in determining your eligibility to receive a visa after committing a crime involving moral turpitude, which is why I'm asking)