cannabis and USA visa waiver

[johny_1]

Hi there i wonder if anybody can help me ..I am going to america soon with my son and his girlfriend and his daughter ..My son was caught about 3 years ago with a small amount of cannabis and was charged but nothing happened..He is 19 now and think he was about 16 when this took place .. He was also done with stealing a cement mixer around the same time and got a �100 fine,,He does not have enough time to sort out a visa what would be his chances of not getting in to america ??He is never in trouble now ..Just was silly back then

[Buenchico]

The US immigration authorities have no direct access to UK criminal records. (European privacy legislation prohibits the UK government from making personal data, including criminal records, available to foreign governments without 'justifiable cause'). They won't know about your son's arrests and conviction so, as long as he keeps quiet about them, he'll have no problem getting into the USA. However, if he declared them on the Visa Waiver form, he'd automatically be denied entry.

Chris

[johny_1]

Hi chris ..Thanks ..Its just somebody else told me he would get sent back right away as it would flag there systems right away as a drugs offence ...My uncle is american and he said a lot of the time the visas are a nonsense and its just a way for the american embassy to make money by scaremongering ..I always worry about what they do have on there systems ..How do we know they dont have records on computers ? Were going on a family holiday and really worried but hopefully everything will be fine

[Buenchico]

As stated, the UK authorities must have 'justifiable cause' before they can reveal criminal convictions to the US authorities. That means that they're allowed to pass on information about suspected terrorists, drug smugglers and sex tourists but they can't grant general access to the database of UK criminal records. (US officials have no direct access to any criminal records except those of the USA and Canada, who share a common database).

Several AB contributors have posted to state that they've entered the USA without any problems, under the Visa Waiver Program, by simply keeping quiet about drug-related convictions.

Chris

[johny_1]

thanks chris ..My mind is at ease a little more now ..