Travel to the US (visa)

I'm planning to travel the the states for around three weeks in mid-late June and wondering what the chances are of getting turned around at the border if i travel using the visa waver program (ESTA)

I was arrested and placed in the cells overnight when i was 15 (24 now) and they took finger prints and mug shots etc. though i wasn't charged with anything and let go.

Anyone any experience of this? Cheers.

 

Unless they have you on some type of list then there is practically no chance. Travelled last year with a mate who spent 6 years inside until 2010 and never had a problem

 

Cheers.

It's just that i was looking at what needs to be done with the ESTA and it says anyone who has been arrested convicted or not is recommended to get a visa which seems like a pain with interviews etc.

 

Don't declare anything mate. I have been arrested a few times and have never had a problem, been one a year for the last 10 years. Obviously there is always a small chance you might get caught and if your crime was nothing too major then getting a visa beforehand might ease your nerves

 

Don't worry about it mate. If you weren't even charged then they won't know anything about it.

 

You should be fine its real criminals they dont let in.

 

They also ask if you participated in any of the crimes committed by * Germany, or its allies between 1933 & 1945. If not, you should be fine.

Nah, you will be fine.

 

You will be fine, they dont have access to your past records on these type of incidents.

 

I can understand why people might get freaked out when entering the US with a criminal conviction but there is no need to be overly stressed.

There is no details about your criminal convictions stored on your passport. To get your details they have to request them through the correct legal channels. The only reason for them to check up on you is if you give them a reason or someone has tipped them off

 

Don't declare it.
If you get stopped at their security act normal and don't panic.
I had a conviction before i went to states for my honeymoon.
When called to show my passport i stepped up with my wife and smiled and just answered the questions. Wasn't any problems.


EDIT: One question. If you haven't ever been in trouble and were not charged, did you realise that you can demand that they remove your fingerprints from their database as they are NOT allowed to hold those details about INNOCENT civilians.

Read this about removing the details from the database.

http://www.genewatch.org/sub-539478

and this

http://www.genewatch.org/sub-539488

Scotland rejected the proposal to allow the DNA and fingerprints to be kept permanently.

 

The NSA have already logged this thread and investigated your identity.

 

Cheers everyone. I'm probably worrying over nothing, considering i wasn't charged or convicted. Though i don't want to spend money on the flights etc. for them then to tell me to * off :smiley-laughing002:

I'll assume you used the ESTA? Did you end up lying on the ESTA/when they asked the questions at customs?

And i never knew that, so i'll definitely look at that, nice one

 

Didn't lie on the ESTA as they didn't have that in place at the time of my honeymoon.
I looked up their definition of moral turpitude and it didn't fit into their definition so didn't mention it.

 

The definition is - "Do and act as we say but DON'T do and act like we do" - :smiley-laughing002:

 

As of today i don't have to declare it when going for job interviews.
The new law came into being about the changes in law about having to declare conviction when applying for a job.