visa waiver, do i or dont i !!!

[kcjcfamily]

hello to all, hope some1 could shed some light on all this....

Going to florida very soon for Family holiday. Only just notice that having a criminal record from the past could stop me getting in to the US. I've been charged twice with drink driving and other minor driving offences, 1st time was 15 yrs ago and the 2nd was 8 yrs ago.

Not got time to apply for visa and will lose �1500 if i cancel holiday.


Do i just answer no on waiver form? i know that my crimes dont come under Moral turpitude, but the question also asks " or been arrested or convicted for 2 or more offences for which the aggrgage sentence to confinement was 5 years seeking entry too engage in criminal or immoral activities" - (and this means what)?

will my record or arrests show up when they fingerprint scan me at the airport.

If i was to be stopped and found out, would they deport me even with my family in tears???

Hope some1 could shed some like on this as this is causing all sorts of issues at home(b4 we go)...

Kind Regards

The Family

[dzug]

Your arrests, etc, will not show up.

Did you serve 5 years in jail for your drink driving? If not you are stil telling the truth when you say 'NO'.

[jno]

this is the back of the form, so you'll know what to expect (you can click on it to enlarge it)

http://amsterdam.usconsulate.gov/uploads/image s/n27a8u5IJKZnyI3zjJJC0Q/I-94_back.jpg

[Rooboru]

You are obviously concerned enough to post the question in the first place.
Wouldn't be a bad move to contact the US Embassy and clear the questions up before doing anything else.
It would be a sad day if you were turned around on arrival.
Don't assume you can get away with anything in America because you may very well not, and that would definitely spoil the holiday, putting it mildly. Also be aware that the visa waiver program has changed recently. Not sure when it takes effect tho.

[RevFunk]

Burger me lol

The last thing you want to do is contact the embassy!

This question has been posted and answered a thousand times before:

Dont apply for a Visa
DONT contact the embassy because what happens if they say you need a visa then you try and get into the country without one?

Just enter on the VISA waiver program, US customs have no instant diect link to UK records, any search would take hours so unless you are wanted by interpol you'll be fine.

[kcjcfamily]

thank you for ur replies, was looking good til the last 1. lol

[RevFunk]

Honestly do you think that US customs could really give a toss about a driving conviction 8 years ago?

Go ahead, contact the embassy, tell them your flight number just so they can definately pull you when you arrive.

I bet that a quarter of people on the plane will lie on their Visa waiver

[kcjcfamily]

wasn't been funny Revfunk, i meant the 3rd reply to my question. cheers for comments,

[RevFunk]

I'll let u off ;-)

You go in on the waiver program you'll be fine

[kcjcfamily]

All very scary, lol wish us luck lol

[kaby]

i am in a very similar situation and am flying out in october could you possible let me know how you get on cos to be honest im ******** it =/
cheers
hope you have a good time =]

[kcjcfamily]

Kaby, I'm the same mate. heared aloads of stories. very hard to decide if to chance it or not. I am bricking it.

Will let you know how i get on as soon as i get back....

[kcjcfamily]

(II) the maximum penalty possible for the crime of which the alien was convicted (or which the alien admits having committed or of which the acts that the alien admits having committed constituted the essential elements) did not exceed imprisonment for one year and, if the alien was convicted of such crime, the alien was not sentenced to a term of imprisonment in excess of 6 months (regardless of the extent to which the sentence was ultimately executed).


(B) Multiple criminal convictions.-Any alien convicted of 2 or more offenses (other than purely political offenses), regardless of whether the conviction was in a single trial or whether the offenses arose from a single scheme of misconduct and regardless of whether the offenses involved moral turpitude, for which the aggregate sentences to confinement were 5 years or more is inadmissible.

Just found these statements on the US department of states web page....

Do i fall into these statments??

The family

[JonnoGenie]

Some of the advice people hand out so freely is alarming.

Yes USCBP will take a DUI charge very seriously, if they are aware of it. When you go to the US get used to the fact that IT IS NOT A JOKE. One DUI charge does not constitute moral turpitude, but two DUI charges does.

I've been pulled into 2ndary questioning certainly 10 times at JFK/Newark. I have one ancient (20 yrs ago) DUI from the US, so I cannot avoid it. It's not nice, and it's certainly not polite (lol).

p.s. do NOT call the embassy and ask for advice, unless you have already decided you're going to go and apply for a visa.

[kcjcfamily]

I contacted the emberssy, but didnt give them any details. I know drink drivin is serious, but as im not even hiring a car over there, and the fact that im on a family holiday. i was just going for it and hoping they dont know, or even hoping if they did know that they would still let me in for the family holiday...... ii couldnt get a visa in time, so all i can do is pray now i guess.

[kaby]

Any news at all?
hope it all went well

[kcjcfamily]

Not been yet Kaby, go in 3 weeks, will let you know of out come when i get back.

[kcjcfamily]

Hello to all

Just thought id let everyone know how i got on with my trip to USA with a criminal record....


Was bricking it on the day we was flying to Sanford Airport. But all was good got in with no problems as many on here adviced i would.

Don't know if they knew about my criminal record or not, but if they did they wasn't interested. Best holiday we have ever had. knackered now though. Great people the Americans including border control.

It was harder and more time consuming trying to get back in the UK.....

Kaby.... Just go for it, you'll be fine. from what i have now experianced. Enjoy your Holiday. you will love it. All the parks are great. Hold on to your shorts/bikini in the Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool.

The Family