To not even book a trip to the USA because of spent convictions?

[streetface]

We have been planning a large family holiday to USA but one of the party has spent criminal convictions for carrying a weapon, drugs and violence dating back to teens and twenties. In forties now, model citizen, hard working lovely family man but I have a feeling that all of that will be irrelevant and he will be denied entry?

I don't think it is worth taking the risk spending thousands on a holiday to be turfed away last minute. He won't get his money back either will he?

Apparently he was violating some law by being a foreigner not carrying his passport

Rubbish. I have worked in the US and once we (foreigners) all got our drivers licences we just carried them for ID. Those on temporary work visas could still get drivers licences and I think those on green cards carried their green card if they didn't have a drivers licence.

No it's not right to lie.

But as the USA wants to ban brown people, Muslims, anyone called Ahmed and build a wall to keep all those troublesome Mexicans out, none of my family will lose any sleep over the morality of letting a nice bloke take his kids to Disneyland because he was a naughty teen :)

I'm a bit confused as to how US immigration could know about convictions instantly when a DBS can take weeks whilst different police forces are contacted to check? Doesn't seem possible

Aha a bit of Googling found this:

www.quora.com/Do-I-have-to-carry-my-passport-all-the-time-when-visiting-USA-with-a-B1-B2-visa

As foreigners can't get a drivers licence without a visa then I think that covered the "proving you have a right to be there".
It sounds like a photocopy of your passport would be a good idea but there is no law forcing you to carry your passport.

My colleague has spent criminal convictions and declared them on his Esta. He's just returned from a trip the New York. He wasn't asked for an interview or to apply for a full visa.

The crux is your family member won't know till he tries, and as it lasts two years he's fine.

Why wouldn't he just apply?

ANYONE with relevant visas can be turned away from whatever country they visit criminal convictions or not. It's a risk you take when travelling.

I have a similar situation where my ESTA got revoked (long story). Now I would need to apply for a visa as opposed to a visa waiver. That way you'll know in advance. I believe there can be an interview and it takes much longer than the waiver.

But as the USA wants to ban brown people, Muslims, anyone called Ahmed and build a wall to keep all those troublesome Mexicans out, none of my family will lose any sleep over the morality of letting a nice bloke take his kids to Disneyland because he was a naughty teen

With that sort of attitude to the people of country you wish to visit maybe YOU shouldn't go

streetface - so go ahead, lie. but your insurance wont cover you if he gets sent home and it will be a pretty traumatic thing for the family if he gets hoiked in by policemen with guns.

if they send him home you have to pay for the return airline ticket, you cant transfer the existing one as airlines take a pretty dim view of this as well. plus it will be stamped in his passport as refused entry.

In your original post you say you don't think its worth the risk and now you are saying it is and that you are also happy to lie.

if he is the sort of bloke with tattoos who gets pulled over at customs all the time (some people just do) then lying on a form is very different from lying in a room to trained officers who know how to spot a lie.

the current climate in the USA is only going to get worse. I am glad your family don't lose any sleep over lies. quite a lot of others will disagree with that. perhaps they will lose sleep when it costs a fortune to fly him home?

Yes mummymeiester
Ive been since the trump become president and so has my sons girlfriend who was removed from Australia because she overstayed her Holiday visa .She was fingerprinted and held in detention in Sydney before being put on a plane back to Ireland . My brother in law who's been in jail year ago is off to vegas in a few weeks on a stag do and he's been numerous times
She can't get back into Australia or NZ now but she had no problems getting into the States recently
There are some real scaremongers on here

It's a risk isn't it mummy? If they're willing to take the risk that's their call. Everyone has a different risk appetite

I personally don't think the lie would be the issue.

I think it may cost you a lot, ruin your holiday etc and seeng as the children are still pretty little it may be quite traumatic.

Oh chill out Honeydragon. It was a comment on Trumps policies not a slight on US citizens.

@mummymeister he won't get 'hoiked' by police with guns. It's immagration that would deal with him. The only way police with guns would be involved is if he was showing threatening behaviour that was a cause for concern. Also the bit about him having to pay to fly home isn't strictly true as this depends on a number of factors, including the airline! For example if you don't have the money to fly back they still have to carry you regardless. Then it's up to the airline to try get costs back. He would more than likely be fined. Their not bloody killing anybody by telling this white lie. They aren't harming anyone. Are you trying to say you've never lied in your life?

Ultimately, it woud be his lie and his loss of money should he decide to go ahead. I really appreciate all the advice and for those who shared their own experiences. I'll pass it on so we can all decide whether this is a route to go down. :)

The Esta system and criteria pre-dates trump so it was somewhat pointless and offensive commentary to USA citizens.

I guess the issue is that over something like this I see it not as a case of being risk averse but being lie averse.

I suppose that this is the same sort of attitude that people have about tax, or paying cash in hand etc but just not for me I am afraid.

I am generally a risk taker and not risk averse at all but with the way things are going in the USA I just wouldn't want to have to sit in front of some guys with guns and lie.

Why wouldn't OP insurance cover him if his friend was sent home. His insurance will have nothing to do with his friends.

You don't sound like much of a risk taker. They have no access to a UK database to check and there won't be any guns. So the risk appears fairly low.

Not sharing skeletons in your closet is the same as tax evasion and getting cash in hand? okkaaaaayyy

Never heard of someone being shot because they lied on their ESTA 😂

of course I have lied but not on official documents. would you lie on a passport? would you lie on a birth or marriage certificate?

the ESTA was a great invention. I remember going to the USA when you needed a visa and the time that this took to get.

but if its abused like this then how long before trump administration realise this and decide to change things.

Oh please calm down, there's a difference. Lying in your OWN country where they can check everything on the likes of a passport is just ridiculous.. it's a bloody ESTA form he's applying for not an application to join the FBI

It's not down to the US administration to change things, trump or no trump. He's not going to be able to throw a strop and get access to the entire UK police database 😂

streetface - do you really see convictions for the kind of offences you described as just a skeleton in a closet?

Cammys - I didn't say anyone would get shot just that the system in America can be far more intimidating than that in the UK.

Lennie - re-read the thread. his travel insurance will most likely exclude paying for him to be repatriated in the event that he has lied on an ESTA. the rest of his family can go about their holiday as they please.

Instasista maybe we should just quit while we are ahead haha. Everyone has their own opinions I guess