This is a strange quiery, how do i solve it?

[Donbean]

We are planning our holiday next year and have brochures. We are off to America.
FIL took the booklets and has read them from cover to cover including the small print.
FIL & MIL are coming with us to America.
Any way, in the small print is something along the lines of "if you have ever been arrested, you must inform the American embassy as entry to the USA will be denied".
Well, about 35 years ago FIL was arrested for stealing an item from his work, was fined and sacked.
Now all hell has broken loose in the family about this dark passed and the fact that he cant go with us.
FFS, i dont think that he need do any thing BUT is there any way of finding out if this matters. I dont think that it will, i will be VERY VERY surprised if it does but need to sort it out.

Any suggestions.
ps dont think we should even have to contact the embassy about something so bloody trivial do you?

Thanks that is what commen sense tells me BUT FIL (the arse) is absolutely worried to death about it and i think that he would feel better to have it in black and white to say that it is ok from some official source.
Think i will have to ring the embassy tomorow.

He was 20 years old at the time.
Has never had so much as a parking ticket in his life and is as honest as the day is long.
A genuinely nice man.
Its so annoying because we are all SO excited about this holiday, have been saving for it for 2 years, MIL and FIL have never been abroad in their lives and this has put a big damper on it all.

Are you on TV scienceteacher?

No :)

You are Fern Britten arent you?
There was a rumour a few months ago that you go on this website.......you are arent you?!

Its ok, you can confess to me, i am famous too.

Lovely as Fern is, she's not me. She looked good on TV the other night (HIGNFY) - lost a few pounds.

I am concerned about this one too. My dh is a recovering alcohlic. Last year, in the depths of all the horrible things that happened to us; he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and kicked a policeman! He was cautioned but not charged for this. We have always wanted to take our sons to New York but I am worried about this. It is not something we ever talk about - as you can imagine. When I read about it I assumed that, if you admitted it, you had to go to the Embassy for at least one interview. Otherwise we would travel under the normal visa waiver scheme and keep fingers crossed! I rang the embassy to ask - anonymously! - and was told each case was assessed individually - ie go through the whole/long application process. I am responsible for doing the crb clearances at my place of work and very many people have been arrested for one thing or another. Certainly some of these people have been or will be going to America on holiday.

The following is from the Forign Office's website re travel to the USA:-

There are reasons why a British traveller will need a visa. These include one or more of the following: (Note: this list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure, or if you think that your situation falls into any of the following categories, you should consult the US Embassy about whether you need to apply for a visa – you must do this well in advance of any plans to travel to the US.)

* The personal information page of your passport does not describe you as a "British Citizen", but instead says "British Subject", "British National (Overseas)", "British Overseas Territories Citizen", "British Dependent Territories Citizen", "British Protected Person" or "British Overseas Citizen"
* You intend to stay longer than 90 days
* You have a passport that is not machine readable
* You intend to travel to the US for a reason other than business, pleasure or transit
* You have been arrested, even if not convicted
* You have a criminal record
* You have a serious, communicable disease (including HIV)
* You are HIV Positive
* You have been refused entry to the US on a previous occasion
* You have been deported from the US
* You have previously overstayed the 90 days permitted under the Visa Waiver Programme (ie travel without a visa)
* You are a child included on your parent's passport

going to have to get him to send for a visa. Didnt have time to ring the embassy today to enquire about this.
Am getting quite angry at FIL for his stupidity.
I mean, who reads the small print on these things FFS!

I'd keep quiet, it was years ago you could say he forgot.

Id keep quiet too...... I went to USA with my then pot smoking hippy boyfriend who had a brush with the law with his habit - nothing happened in fact he went over a few times with no problems...

The British system can't even work out who is a criminal in 2006, so I don't suppose they could cope with something that happened 35 years ago.

You will need to declare it, regardless of when it was (the time lapse thing does not apply to immigration) Was he charged or just arrested? Do it ASAP though. I ahve a friend who had to declare a v minor carge from 12 yrs ago and took months to hear back from the embassy

playing devil's advocate here but if cautions are not logged on the system how would they ever know? Couldn't you sneak through on the visa waiver system or would this be being VERY dishonest? Just imagine it might take months/visits to London etc. Puts pay to a last minute weekend in New York at any rate!