will i need a visa for the usa

[mrsmummy]

We have just booked to go to disney next year.In 1989, i had a car accident,i hit a bus - my fault, the police were called and i was subsequently chareged with either driving without due care and attention or carless driving - can't rember,it went to court i pleaded guilty by post and got a fine and points on my licence. Travel agents seem to think i may need a visa to enter the usa,anyone know?

Yep, you will need a visa.

Here is what the us embassy page says about it. Basically if you were arrested, then you need the visa. My dh has to get one every year and the whole process can take 6-8 months and includes an interview, so start early.

Did your DH admit to the driving offense on the Visa Waiver form, bella?

I am far from a legal expert, but doesn't admitting to something and getting points on his license mean that he was convicted of the offense.

If so, this would count as a 'moral turpitude', which means you cannot go to the US visa-free.

When you go to the US, you can either go visa-free, which means using the visa-waiver form (the green document that you fill in on the plane and present with your passport), or get a visa from the US consulate. The visa waiver form has about six questions on it that you have to tick yes or no to. One of them is about being convicted of an offense of moral turpitude, of which careless or reckless driving is an example.

Call me paranoid, but I would ask Mumsnet to delete these posts or this entire thread.

Call me paranoid, but I would ask Mumsnet to delete these posts or this entire thread.

The reality is that they will not check your criminal record when you travel on a visa waiver. It's only if at some point in the future you apply for a working visa or a green card and then they will require you to supply a "data protection" form showing your criminal record. If the criminal record then shows that you have arrests/convictions that you didn't declare before, then you are in serious trouble for having lied.

And if you are caught lying to Immigration, you can forget about ever setting foot in the US.

You can order up your data protection and see if it's listed on there. You'll need it anyway if you have to apply for a visa.
Here is a link to obtaining your criminal record.

Thanks for your replies, don't know why the thread needs to be deleted though??.i will ring the us embassy tomorrow and see what they say