Travel to US. ESTA info?

[cl987]

i had a fine for criminal damage 2 and hals yrs back.

With the new ESTA online form, is it still possible to lie on the form to say u havnt been convicted or arrested?

Im looking to go to the us in april, but is it true the US border control can scan ur passport and retrieve all your info, such as criminal record?

Or they cans can ur finger prints to see if u have been arrested before?

Ive heard getting a visa can be a nightmare and im only set on a long weekend.

this has probly be asked many times but any info would be appreciated,

[Buenchico]

EU privacy laws prevent the UK authorities from opening up UK criminal records to overseas governments. However a great deal of information is probably now passed on under the guise of 'anti-terrorism' (which overrides the privacy rules). Because of the secrecy which surrounds such issues, nobody really knows exactly what the US immigration authorities knows about UK citizens. So, while you might well get into the USA using the ESTA system, nobody is in a position to guarantee it.

For a more detailed answer, please see my first (two-part) post on this thread:
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Travel/Question 709743.html
(See Dzug's post on that thread as well).

Chris

[rubbishname]

"EU privacy laws prevent the UK authorities from opening up UK criminal records to overseas governments."

Actually they don't. Its even part of the process for countries to gain access to the VWP.

"Dzug's post on that thread as well"

Is utter nonsense. ESTA does NOT check again the NCIC for specific criminal records. Thats not what ESTA was created for. Its a basic pre-screen for other types of criminality (visa violations and watch lists). The criminal arrests and convictions appear to CBP with a link to NCIC from US-VISIT.

What the OP needs to find out is whether his arrest is one of moral turpitude, and if it is, whether the petty offenses clause applies.

[citcat21]

cl987 did u end up goin? how did it go?

[cl987]

I postponed that trip but could be going in october.

I would also be interested to hear if anybody has recently gone to the US with a conviction? I would like to hear they got in no problem!

[biologist]

US immigration do not have access to the police national computer. They have a watch list of terrorists/big time criminals BUT they DO NOT have unfettered access. The fingerprinting is for two reasons 1) to monitor when people enter/exit or if you commit crime in USA 2) to check against immigration fraud databases. The UK, USA, Canada, NZ and OZ share fingerprints on immigration applicants/refusals. Just think about how many people would be getting turned back if they had access to every fingerprint from every person who had ever been arrested/convicted in the UK. Unless you're into big time dealing/trafficking or on Interpol then I wouldn't worry. I guess the USA just want people to fess up. Why the fuck should anyone tell the yanks about a mistake they made in their pasts. The UK has no business passing all spent convictions onto the USA when it's got nothing to do with anti-terrorism. I've done alot of research into all this because I'm in a similar situation.....spent conviction from 10 years ago. I certainly won't be fessing up when I go, who the fuck are they to judge me on a little mistake.....I have no intention of going to engage in terrorism. It's a joke. Hope this helps.

[rubishnames]

anyone been to the US and lied about a coviction??? please let us know