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?

Ah I see now Lennie, a lie is only a lie if there is a chance that you can get caught out.

a lie isn't a lie if you aren't likely to get caught out, just a risk.

thanks for clarifying that.

That's not what she said, and you know that.

Just a heads up, I applied for an ESTA yesterday (got an OK back within 10 mins) and the cost may have gone up.
Mine was about £32. There's 2 agencies though. Maybe mine was the pricier one. I wanted air miles though and the one I did have me air miles on my spend!

Just a heads up, I applied for an ESTA yesterday (got an OK back within 10 mins) and the cost may have gone up.
Mine was about £32. There's 2 agencies though. Maybe mine was the pricier one. I wanted air miles though and the one I did have me air miles on my spend!

I agree Lenielala. Think I might quit too before this goes down a whole other path

He will not qualify for an esta

He will need to make an appointment and go to the amercian embassy in London. They will interview him and decide if they will give him a visa. This can be done before the holiday is booked.

Anyone that has even been arrested and not charged with anything do not qualify for an esta.

Exactly instasista! Some people just like to twist things.

Also I can categorically state that his insurance would not cover him to fly home in the event he lied on his ESTA so you don't have a clue what you're talking about. (Speaking as an insurance broker who has been in the business 7 years)

I guess the section of society that has previous criminal convictions consists of those that are more likely to be "relaxed" about LYING on official forms. I am not in either group and glad not to be.

Lennie Also I can categorically state that his insurance would not cover him to fly home in the event he lied on his ESTA so you don't have a clue what you're talking about. (Speaking as an insurance broker who has been in the business 7 years)

Isnt that what I said? that his insurance wouldn't cover him to fly home if he lied on his esta? did you mean to put that a different way?

@streetface

Ever wish you could just delete a thread 😂

Didn't see the part where you said 'exclude' obviously reading too quickly.

The ESTA on the official site is $14 (you do not need an agency to do it go directly to the official site). Look to see if you can answer the questions regarding convictions (they have changed them recently they are more interested in terrorism and visiting Syria/Iraq etc than they are spent convictions in youth).

If he answers yes to any of them he will need a visa not an ESTA. So apply for a Visa appointment the chances of being turned away with a visa is slim (and would I suspect relate to visiting the countries that are a no go rather than the convictions that he has)

You can apply for ESTA through the department for homeland security website. It costs $20. The "agencies" are non-official ones. When you are granted ESTA clearance it is very clear that the US authorities reserve the right to change your Visa status at any time, and without explanation. They have the right to refuse to allow you to board an aircraft or entry into the US and don't have to tell you why.

Not all convictions will result in refusal of a full Visa. OP's relative has convictions for violence and drugs and the US government takes a very dim view of this sort of conviction. Every case on its merits though, he'd have to go to the Embassy/Consulate and explain himself and his record. US immigration is very strict.

No travel insurer is going to cover being turned away because of Visa issues, especially if you're knowingly deceptive!

So not only are people lying on travel authorisation forms, but they're then advising others to do it on public forums?! The ultimate consequences of this will be the US scrapping the ESTA scheme, or removing U.K. citizens right to use it, and us all having to go to embassies to apply for a visa. Great...

@ lennielala

Oh I dunno, I'm quite enjoying the holier than thou comments from people about lying criminals.

Especially as it's only me, who has no criminal record that has even suggested it. The poor bloke might not even be up for it!

No problem Lennie - apology accepted.

The Esta questions have defo got stricter (now asking for 'voluntary' details of all your social media sites and you are fingerprinted on arrival. First time Estas go through separate immigration queues. I got picked out for additional checks in the UK before even being allowed on the plane!

To the people talking about Ireland - all that is is uou clearing immigration in Eire rather than in US so it's clearly quicker once you land. It doesn't negate need for Esta / visas and having purchased the flight itself.

LA is renowned for having tough immigration controls so if you're going to do a test run I wouldn't choose there.

Exchange of information people - they catch you lieing when you can quite possibly go anyway (by getting your visa) is not a good idea. You'll be in a world of trouble.

Streetface
Yup haha me too!
I also have no criminal convictions and a completely clean record, but I guess we must be criminals because we are talking about lying 😂

Somerville ESTA has been going 8 years and people have been lying all that time so I don't see why they would stop it- they're not stupid, they obviously know people will lie. Do you think they expect everyone to be truthful?

This is getting out of hand. The worlds not feeking sunshine and rainbows. People lie. Get the hell over it. Too many goody two shoes.

If he got refused entry assuming he has a return ticket the airline would put him on the next flight home
It won't cost him anything
They ( the airline ) will also hold on to
His passport till he gets off the plane

o you really see convictions for the kind of offences you described as just a skeleton in a closet

presumably the person in question did the time/paid the fine etc and is now an upstanding member of society? Why is something that happened maybe 25 years ago relevant to a visit to Disneyland?

It is ok for authorities to have immigration checks, but common sense needs to be applied. Someone who has had a stable family life for years and just wants a 3 week holiday is not a threat.

But I would seriously consider a different destination, it really doesn't sound like it''s worth the stress.

Lennielala you keep posting to trivialise lying on the ESTA, but it's not trivial. It's quite easy to do, but it's not trivial.

OP's friend will receive a lifetime ban from the USA if it's discovered that he misrepresented himself at immigration. And it's not just about this trip - if he lies now, he'll have to lie every time he visits, since revealing the original lie would trigger the ban.

He'll be screwed if he ever wants to do anything more than visit: if he's transferred, even temporarily, for work, or gets offered a job there, or wants to marry an American and move there, or if his kids settle there and he wants to join them. In any situation other than a tourist trip, he'll have to provide a criminal background check which will show up all past convictions, and he'll be banned for life for lying. It's easy to say, now, that he's not fussed about this, but circumstances change and it's a big deal to have an entire country ruled out.

Also, if he is taken to secondary and denied entry on this trip (and it sounds like his appearance could feasibly trigger the former), the experience of being deported can vary depending on the time of day, frequency of flights etc. It might be relatively hassle-free, or it might involve a night in a detention centre. Again: not trivial.

"Goody two shoes" "holier than thou" for not lying on a government immigration form. Read it all now . Depressing.

It's not depressing, it's just that you're being naive. Did you really not realise people lie on these things? I'm sure you did. The wide eyed outrage is coming across as a bit weird.