Travelling from the UK to the USA with a criminal record

[Oddball]

Yes, because a lot of people decided to apply for a Visa and didn't even get that far.

The way I read that statistic was people rejected at the border. I may have been wrong.

What evidence of this is there? How are they carrying out these 'random checks' given they don't have access to the PNC?

Know of someone turned back at airport with old (but quite serious conviction).
There's also comments on this very thread by people that have been questioned and bollocked about previous convictions (but ultimately let through).
They do have access - through interpol.
I know the plural of anecdote is not data but based on this it's clear they do (very) occasionally check (via Interpol).

Evidence?

Read it in an article a while back about reciprocal agreements. Mostly to do with how the US made more demands of us than they were prepared to give. The actual specifics of PNC access was hidden until someone made the effort to make a FOI request. If the situation changes it will stay hidden until someone else does another FOI.

It is an absolute given you'll get through if you tick no. It really isn't if anyone follows your idiotic advice. You do appear to be the first person to come along in years with 'honesty is really the best policy' advice so I commend you for that.

It's not an absolute given just statistically very small.
It's far from idiotic, to paraphrase what I was saying : if the consequences of being denied entry are dire, and you think you'll get through the interview, then you should seriously consider going Visa.

Like I said, if you're not arsed go for it. Statistically you won't have a drama.

 

[trashpony]

But if you've committed a serious crime, you won't get through the interview. And if you haven't, you may or may not. Whereas if you have committed a minor misdemeanour, you may or may not get through the interview but you *will* get through on ESTA.

The statistics are indeed for people turned away at the border. Not for all the thousands of other who decided to fess up and got turned away before they'd even got on the plane.

 

[Oddball]

Except it’ll be obvious when ESTAs are being swiftly rejected in the cases of applicants with checkered pasts they themselves have not disclosed.

Good point.

 

[Oddball]

But if you've committed a serious crime, you won't get through the interview. And if you haven't, you may or may not. Whereas if you have committed a minor misdemeanour, you may or may not get through the interview but you *will* get through on ESTA.

That's why they have the interview - to determine each case on it's merits. I know people with drugs convictions successfully getting through.

I didn't intend to muddy the waters or cause a big debate. It seems, based on the limited evidence at our disposal, the chances of being caught are extremely small. But don't be under any illusion that it is a zero chance or will continue to be small. All I'm saying is people need to make a decision based on the level of risk they are willing to take.

 

[caluma10]

Hi all new member here,

I know this has been done to death however the only answers I can find to my specific situation are from 5+ years ago and I am not sure if US/UK data sharing has changed from then.

So I am thinking of doing the visa wavier despite having been arrested: I was arrested 3 times when I was aged 15 years 10 years ago for theft (x2) and fighting (ABH) (young and stupid I know), I got warnings on all 3 occasions but no convictions or court cases. As far as I know this means I have a police record but not a criminal record, I haven't had any dealings with the police whatsoever as an adult.

So my question, can USA border force access police records and what are the chances of them finding out about my arrests as a 15 year old if I haven't declared them?

Thanks in advance

 

[ddraig]

it's the same answer!

 

[skyscraper101]

One other reason not to get a VISA and instead go for an ESTA if you can, is that BA won't let you check in online with a VISA going to the US, you have to get checked in at the airport. This is a pain in the arse and it means that all the best seats are gone by the time you check in

 

[caluma10]

it's the same answer!

What answer it that?

I'm guessing from the majority of the answers that I won't get caught however wanted to say my exact situation before deciding on risking it or not

 

[1927]

What answer it that?

I'm guessing from the majority of the answers that I won't get caught however wanted to say my exact situation before deciding on risking it or not

Your circumstances are not unique tho in the large scheme of things, just lie on the ESTA and keep your mouth shut. all will be ok.

Or, and this is a novel idea, read the fucking thread.

 

[caluma10]

Thanks 27, I will try and not be lazy next time...

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

One other reason not to get a VISA and instead go for an ESTA if you can, is that BA won't let you check in online with a VISA going to the US, you have to get checked in at the airport. This is a pain in the arse and it means that all the best seats are gone by the time you check in

Fly with Virgin, they allow you to enter your visa number and check in...

 

[skyscraper101]

Fly with Virgin, they allow you to enter your visa number and check in...

Ah thanks, useful. It’s for reasons like this I’ve never been able to accrue any kind of meaningful loyalty status with an Airline. I used to fly Virgin occasionally but their IFE system was whack and the food/service pretty terrible until recently. For a while I went with Air New Zealand to LA who were the nicest but their loyalty scheme was only useful if you lived in NZ so I have a bunch of points which I can use on a regional NZ flight but not enough for the only route I use them for which is London to LA.

BA made the most sense as I can accrue miles with them more easily if I’m going to Europe or Asia but as I seem to be more in the US these days I’ve occasionally chanced on other airlines. I haven’t used Virgin in a year or so but last time I did they were better than BA and had newer Boeing Dreamliner stock with live TV and Wi-fi onboard so I’m more inclined to fly with them again now. I’ll basically never get any status though because I’ll never fly enough to make it worthwhile.

</first world problems>

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

You used to go to LA a not, no? Air New Zealand is (IMO) the best airline in the world in eco, premium and business. You could have signed up to Lufthansa's Miles & More and earned point on NZ, also on United, Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, Singapore, Thai, South African...

BA's TV on the dreamliner has the same shite content as all their other aircraft (live wi-fi TV when working aside), NZ gives you a squillion films, BA gives you Bridget Jones and some old episode of Friends.

I'm flying BA to the states next month

 

[skyscraper101]

You used to go to LA a not, no? Air New Zealand is (IMO) the best airline in the world in eco, premium and business. You could have signed up to Lufthansa's Miles & More and earned point on NZ, also on United, Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, Singapore, Thai, South African...

BA's TV on the dreamliner has the same shite content as all their other aircraft (live wi-fi TV when working aside), NZ gives you a squillion films, BA gives you Bridget Jones and some old episode of Friends.

I'm flying BA to the states next month

I still do occasionally but not as often now, for a while I was only using Air NZ and had silver status but I couldn’t transfer the points to my United MileagePlus account because my flights were booked online my myself and not on a code that made the points eligible for transfer.

That’s when I got fucked off with them and decided that the whole points game was bullshit, so I started getting more into gaming the system with credit cards a la points guy. But then I just got fed up with it all anyway and stopped living in America so it was moot.

Apols for massive derail.

 

[wiskey]

I've only ever been on one long haul trip in my life.

It was to America though so I still feel qualified to answer ALL the visa questions on this thread

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

OK, not read the thread, but have applied for FOUR Estas and answered NO to each question, thing is in 1990 I got a parking ticket from Hounslow Council which I successfully challenged, but does that fall under Moral Turpitude? I only ask cos...




Do they have access to Hounslow Council's parking database from the early 90's? I bet they do, that's why it's not authorized...

 

[JimW]

....
Do they have access to Hounslow Council's parking database from the early 90's? I bet they do, that's why it's not authorized...

Don't be ridiculous... they'd never take the risk on such a hit-and-miss approach; Hounslow have had a dedicated officer enforcing unpaid parking fines embedded with border security at every major US airport for thirteen years now.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

(((my dream holiday)))

 

[twentythreedom]

OK, not read the thread, but have applied for FOUR Estas and answered NO to each question, thing is in 1990 I got a parking ticket from Hounslow Council which I successfully challenged, but does that fall under Moral Turpitude? I only ask cos...

View attachment 121150

They're probably onto this thread by now anyway (Google rankings) and the CIA will have worked out your IRL ID and consequently are going to refuse you entry on the grounds of you being a shady cunt

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Heh, just had an email asking if I knew twentythreedom , when I replied no, this happened...

Spoiler: Go USA

 

[twentythreedom]

I'm pretty certain they just want to trick you into treading on US soil so they can lock you up in a supermax jail for 700 years because of your moral degeneracy

Enjoy your holiday

 

[Teaboy]

(((my dream holiday)))

Presumably you've already spent several grand on a non-refundable holiday before addressing this issue? This seems to be crucial for some reason.

 

[caluma10]

Okay so I did post a question which I felt wasn't generic but turned out to be (and was quite rightly brought up on that by 1927 for not reading the thread).

However after actually reading the thread properly I have noticed one or two comments mentioning that you will be fine if your white Anglo Saxon.

I am not white but mixed race (half white half black but not very dark) does anyone think this will effect me getting through or is anyone on here not white and has got through without problems?

Thanks

*apologies if this has been asked, I have looked over the thread properly this time and can't see anything

 

[editor]

Okay so I did post a question which I felt wasn't generic but turned out to be (and was quite rightly brought up on that by 1927 for not reading the thread).

However after actually reading the thread properly I have noticed one or two comments mentioning that you will be fine if your white Anglo Saxon.

I am not white but mixed race (half white half black but not very dark) does anyone think this will effect me getting through or is anyone on here not white and has got through without problems?

Thanks

*apologies if this has been asked, I have looked over the thread properly this time and can't see anything

I don't think that comment is entirely serious, but to repeat what everyone has been saying for, well, years here. The border police do not have direct access to your records. You don't have an actual criminal record (minor police warnings don't count) so you'll be fine anyway. Enjoy your holiday.

 

[Silas Loom]

I don't think that comment is entirely serious, but to repeat what everyone has been saying for, well, years here. The border police do not have direct access to your records. You don't have an actual criminal record (minor police warnings don't count) so you'll be fine anyway. Enjoy your holiday.

Cautions do form part of a criminal record, although of course the US authorities do not have direct access to them.

 

[editor]

Cautions do form part of a criminal record, although of course the US authorities do not have direct access to them.

Not sure if juvenile cautions would ever make it across the Atlantic though?

 

[Silas Loom]

Not sure if juvenile cautions would ever make it across the Atlantic though?

There are circumstances under which they might, but an ESTA request isn't going to be one of them - unless he's on some very exclusive lists of banned returners.

 

[editor]

There are circumstances under which they might, but an ESTA request isn't going to be one of them - unless he's on some very exclusive lists of banned returners.

The US authorities often request we send them a list of urban75 banned returners but we always say no.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Okay so I did post a question which I felt wasn't generic but turned out to be (and was quite rightly brought up on that by 1927 for not reading the thread).

However after actually reading the thread properly I have noticed one or two comments mentioning that you will be fine if your white Anglo Saxon.

I am not white but mixed race (half white half black but not very dark) does anyone think this will effect me getting through or is anyone on here not white and has got through without problems?

Thanks

*apologies if this has been asked, I have looked over the thread properly this time and can't see anything

Being white Anglo Saxon (especially if you look like you have a few quid in your pocket) and they roll out the red carpet. But they have no issue with mixed race or any other skin tones. They do have an issue with people possibly coming for work and not business/holiday, so if you look like an African goat herder you may have some questions to answer.

Hope you have a lovely holiday, please do report back on how it went, both the border and your hols