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Original poster

U.S.A Visa nightmare!!

48 replies

ash6605 · 10/04/2007 21:27

HELP! I'll cut to the chase,we are going to disney florida in 5 weeks time,a last minute thing.

booked this afternoon,managed to get a really good deal.

BUT i have a problem with my visa.i was arrested last year(see my post in the Maxine Carr thread) so was told AFTER we booked that i'd need a special visa to enter USA-it was only an arrest FFS! but can't get an appointment with the embassy until end of may-two weeks after we are due to travel.problem is i've already told the kids we are going,they are now excited,ive only just realised about the visa or i would never have told them.

so i either cancel the hol altogether(delaying is not an option)or i take my chances when i get over there.people in RL are saying just go,deny any arrests or convictions and there are loads of people on here who have done it but these are for arrests/convictions from years ago not recently. exactly what happens when you arrive,i know they scan your fingers and take a photo but why? would that then show up if you had a record?when i was arrested they did my fingerprints and took a photo and i'm wooried that they can catch me out that way.

shit shit SHIT i really don't know what to do i've had the year from hell,lost both my parents and a baby and really need this hol,HELP! sorry for the long post

OP posts:
lulumama · 10/04/2007 21:29

if you lie and then found out, you;ll be deported , no? and make it even harder to ever get back there

well, you might have to cancel and rebook

i would not go without the correct papers

ahve you phoned the emabassy and really told them the absolute urgency

Original poster
ash6605 · 10/04/2007 21:36

i phoned them and they said they had no apps until end of may,they don't have cancellations.
i explained my situation and they just told me to cancel my holiday-thats easy for them to say,i lose all my money,tickets and break the kids hearts.having said that,i'd break their hearts too if i was deported.

OP posts:
lulumama · 10/04/2007 21:37

will you lose all the money?

check the small print, some contracts have 28 day cooling off period...

phone them and explain what happened, they might credit it towards another holiday

lulumama · 10/04/2007 21:37

will you lose all the money?

check the small print, some contracts have 28 day cooling off period...

phone them and explain what happened, they might credit it towards another holiday

tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 21:39

Were you arrested and convicted or just arrested?

Original poster
ash6605 · 10/04/2007 21:47

arrested and then given a fine.apparently the fine wouldn't show up what it was for,it could be for anything such as speeding(the arresting officer told me this) IYKWIM but the embassy say you must declare all arrests ie apply for a visa or if they find out you could be deported but how would they find out? do they do spot checks or check everyone?

OP posts:
tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 21:48

That's bloody outrageous, you can't enter without a visa even if you weren't convicted (I just looked it up).

They aren't connected to the PNC though so how the hell they'd enforce it I don't know.

Original poster
ash6605 · 10/04/2007 21:49

it didn't go to court or anything,i just attended bail and was given a choice off accepting a caution or being fined.advised by police to take fine as its less likely to affect your record or show up on CRB checks

OP posts:
tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 21:51

But a speeding fine in a non-arrestable offence so surely that wouldn't count (unless you are doing something in conjunction which is arrestable - ie you are drunk/driving like an eejit and endangering people).

How honest a face do you have? Worst case scenario is they turn you away at the airport and you have to fly back. Then you are buggered in the future obviously because they'll stamp your passport DEPORTED in big red letters.

How long ago was the conviction, if it's recent, they probably wouldn't have caught up yet even if they are clued into the PNC.

Ivor · 10/04/2007 21:51

Will you be able to answer questions by the immigration chap without looking guilty?
If yes I'd go for it.
The fingerprints and photos are just for their records, they retake them everytime you enter and leave (I think) the US.

Original poster
ash6605 · 10/04/2007 21:52

yes tinkerbellhadpiles its pathetic isn't it.what about people who have been wrongly arrested,wrong place wrong time so to speak?
Er whats PNC? you say they aren't connected what do you mean?

OP posts:
lulumama · 10/04/2007 21:53

i would see about getting my money back or something, i persoanlly would not be able to lie. i am a terrible liar . but if you were found out, it would be sooo much worse !

tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 21:54

Police National Computer

Original poster
ash6605 · 10/04/2007 21:55

it was in august last year so fairly recent.yes i like to think i have an honest face,i'm not rough looking or anything,nor is my hubby and we are travelling with our little ones but whether i'd interview well or not is a different matter.stupid as it sounds,i've been having panic attacks all day because of this,what am i going to be like when i get there?

OP posts:
tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 21:56

Lulumama - happened to a friend of mine, got in, they realised about ten minutes later who he was and deported him before he left the airport (he didn't do anything horrible just illegal at the time), he was sent back FIRST CLASS by Virgin because they were fully booked in all other classes and couldn't fit him in anywhere else.

He says it was quite jolly!

tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 21:58

They take about two minutes and ask you where you are staying and whether you could look into this camera here and put your fingerprint here and that's about it. Oh and they ask to see your return ticket. This is not 'the Weakest link'.

You'll be fine. Have a drinkee on the plane.

JanH · 10/04/2007 22:01

FWIW a friend's 18-yr-old daughter who stayed for a few months with a US couple and had a major falling-out with the wife (who was a fruit-loop by all accounts) was arrested because of it, so apparently had some sort of criminal record (and more critical than a driving offence) and they feared she would would never get back into the US - that was 3-4 years ago, I have no idea what if anything was done about it but she has just gone back there for a college placement.

I think they are on holiday atm but I could ask them for you if anything special had to be done? (Mind you I think she had to go to the Embassy and get a visa anyway just because it's a kind of working thing)

Don't know if this helps or not!

lulumama · 10/04/2007 22:01

well, maybe the deprotaion is fun, but i imagine you could not get back into the USA again

surely this is illegal, lying about this sort of thing??

tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 22:03

It is illegal to give false information and the punishment is deportation. You can be fined if you get in and stick around. they can also obviously give you a really hard time. But in reality the normal response is 'kick them out hard and fergetaboutit'

lulumama · 10/04/2007 22:04

hmmm.....

guess it is up to ash, i could not do it, but that is me ! am a big goody two shoes girly swot !

Original poster
ash6605 · 10/04/2007 22:06

tinkerbell how did they realise who this guy was,that he had a record?
i don't know what your posts are advising-to go or not?one seems really negative then the other positive?!

OP posts:
tinkerbellhadpiles · 10/04/2007 22:08

He was slightly famous and someone recognised him. His 'crime' was to be arrested for being a practising homosexual - before the law changed on age.

I wouldn't do it myself. But it's your call.

I know it's a tough one.

potoroo · 10/04/2007 22:33

You have to sign a form to say that you have not been arrested (and a whole bunch of other conditions) when you enter the US - so it is not just a matter of talking to the immigration people as it is in the UK.

SueW · 10/04/2007 22:40

But the arrest/conviction question relates to certain offences, I'm sure. I remember reading it last year (and also being really p'd off with Virgin staff who insisted I should write out UNITED KINGDOM in full when there aren't enough spaces on the form.... grrrrr. I got throgh about 4 copies before mine was iwhtout a mistake)

SueW · 10/04/2007 22:44

Aha - there's a copy of the visa waiver here .

It's changing all the time, I know, this secutiry stuff but we've visited 3 times in the past two years and not been asked to show return tickets, just asked how long we're staying, are we meeting any friends or family, why wasn't DD in school (holidays don't coincide), were we going to see Mickey Mouse.

DD said to the immigration official that she didn't want to worry anyone but there was a black bag left on the desk. He smiled and said it was his.