USA custom checks

[Kwesidog]

Hello, I need some help making a decision on a trip to the us. I have an imigration related conviction in the UK, and was in prison for 3 months out of 5. I was removed and returned home to Ghana. I recently applied to visit the UK with my wife and kid and was refused the visa since it said on their system that my conviction was not spent. And will not be allowed in the UK. For at least 10 year. Anyway to get to the point, I have a us visa and have been ther 3 times recently but on direct flights form ghana. This time around I have business in the US and my flight is beign sponsored by virgin Atlantic, which means I need to transit in the UK. Will the US customs have any info on my conviction there, and thus refuse my continued journey. Can I transit without any problems. Please help.

[dzug2]

You will need a visa to transit the UK - even if you remain airside. I've no idea whether you will get it or not.

http://www.ukvisas.go...isa/visadatvnationals


US immigration may or may not know of your conviction but as you have a visa it's irrelevant. If it is going to cause problems it would have done so already on your direct trips.

[Kwesidog]

Hey thanks for the answer, but from the link below it also says that if you have a valid US visa and you are traveling there and you have a ticket to prove it then you do not need a transit visa. I'm just worried about all the security checks the Us customs people do befor you get on board to fly to the US. I think I'm worried because I feel that because I'm in the UK they can find info about me. if they can't then I'll go with virgn. if they could then I'll have to buy my own ticket and do a direct flight from Ghana. Media URL: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa/visadatvnationals
Description:

[237SJ]

They won`t find out any more about you if you are flying from the UK than from Ghana. You would give your APIS details (passport no etc) regardless of where you`re flying from. The checks are done at the US border on arrival and you have been there before so it shouldn`t be any different this time.

[dzug2]

I'd missed that bit about there being an exception if you have a valid US visa

I do note however that it's at the discretion of the Immigration Officer, and hazard a guess that he may be less likely to exercise that discretion if you have already been deported from/refused a visa to the UK. That is the risk you take - and I've no idea how big a risk it is.

I'd agree you have nothing to worry about in relation to the US - the info they have on you is not related to where you are

[237SJ]

Do you mean the UK immigration officer? There won`t be one because he is in transit. He`ll go staight to the Flight Connections centre and will bypass immigration.

[KARL]

I agree with 237 - if you are simply passsing from one flight to another at any airport (UK inclded) you remain airside and never pass through any immigration controls - you do not enter the country. Therefore a visa for that country is neither required nor does the question come into it. Were this not so then cases of people travelling via some third country would dwindle to number those that are semi-domestic, such as within Schengen, etc. As there are no checks (immigration - security has nothing to do with who the individual is) until on arrival in the USA, then those checks that take place there will not take into account what route was used to get there, the checks will be exactly the same whether having flown direct or via any number of places. Boarding checks are there to tick all the boxes: valid passport legally belonging to the passenger, valid visa if appropriate, ESTA in place, all documents match, etc., etc.

[KARL]

Oh, by the way, customs checks are quite a separate issue from immigration ones. Once past immigration you have been accepted into the country and go to collect your luggage and submit to customs inspection. Anything found amiss there will be treated as an offence within the country and treated as such, including penalties such as deportation (i.e. as you have officially entered the country).

[Old Salt]

In dealing with 'any' government department, kwesidog,

You must always make sure that, 'they' don't discover 'anything' that may be derogatory to your wishes (in this case your entry into the USA).

And always remember, all secrets eventually leak-out.

During my Navy days, I spent a lot of time working with various embassies and various government departments. It's always better for you to present your story to officials, rather than have them confront you with their findings.

Spend whatever amount of time necessary, to get your story together so that it presents your case in the best possible light – and stick to the facts; furthermore, if it were me, I would first present the finished presentation to a solicitor in order to get a good idea how it sounds.

It goes without saying, there's always a risk they will say no, but if they confront you with their evidence, your mountain will become twice as hard to climb.

Good luck

~Old Salt

[Kwesidog]

Thanks to all of you. Old salt I totally agree with being honest but it's this same honesty that got me in trouble in the UK and now regret it. I dont believe I should say anything. when I was removed and came back home. I managed to get a US visa to continue my business in america. if I had mentioned on the visa forms about my previous conviction. I would def not have been able to continue traveling internationaly. at the moment the UK will not let me in cos they say my conviction is not spent until the next 7 years.

[Old Salt]

You know seem to know what you want to do kwesidog,

But try to imagine how it will all come-out if someone come across a bit of the story. They follow the string which when pulled will unravel into a story. And there will be no benifit of a doubt when the people accusing you know you are not going to help...............just like the taxman, they will pursue you to the end of time, until they are sure they have all the facts and all the story.

And I know from experience, a secret shared is no longer a secret.

I sincerely hope you know what your doing. People win the lottery ever week, but not many are winners

OS