Travelling to US with a criminal record in the UK

Yeah its now spent and all I got 11years ago was a slap on the wrist,you need to apply for a police acpo before anything just type in police acpo into google and apply for that,that cost 90pounds,then ring the embassy and you'll then have to pay 140dollars for an interview,you'll then get an email and a form called a vcu-1 you have to fill it in and scan and send it back to the embassy along with your acpo,you'll then need to fill in a ds-160 form and print that out and take that with you along with acpo,vcu-1 form,ds-160 form and confirmation form,a mrv fee reciept and another confirmation letter

That sounds like some serious messing around! jeez! surely there must be an easier/cheaper way?

Yeah that's what I thought but unfortunatly no they isn't that's the way it has to be

I haven't heard of any appeals that have been successful to date on this forum...apologies in advance if there have been any. It would seem as though as soon as you try and do the right thing by being honest you a penalised by the US embassy who will then keep all your information on the records ensuring that you dont get in as you are then "known" to them.

I hope this truly isn't the case for everyone as this would really suck. I guess you would have to be a role model in the local community, be married, have kids, a good job, property, savings, been on plenty of holidays elsewhere in the world and not been in any trouble for at least 10 years and then MAYBE you might just get a visa...but even with this you still can be turned away by the customs in the US who have final say.

My only opinion is that if your crime was not serious, your no/low risk and are not subject to any monitoring then you have more chance by applying for the standard ESTA/VWP and try your luck....

I've been seeking advice legally and by everyone's account its a grey area.

Sorry this is not going to help you much, it's a rant really, just got to get it off my chest.

It's too much, it's too extreme, it's cruelty actually. I mean you do the crime, you get punished, you change, you regret doing it, you pay your debt to society, you're remorseful, and you really do know you have grown, and are now the person you always should have been. But, the Americans are making people like you be sorry all your life. It's wrong! No one cany deny 9/11 was a bad bad day for the USA, and, the whole world in fact, but I mean people with spent records from years n year ago still being treated like they've just done the crime last week is outside of acceptance. I have to ask why the USA thinks every single person that has ever been arrested even without conviction has to be seen as a possible threat to the security of the USA?

Tightrope,
I have to agree with you. It is not fair and makes the US look draconian in the approach to entry by foreigners with an arrest or conviction. Pres. Obama stated he wanted to make it easier for tourists to visit the US. Hopefully taking a look at how they treat those with arrests or past convictions will be reformed.

It is not just the US either. Canada would not let a friend of mine into their country because of a drunk driving conviction 10 years before. A TP member was denied entry to Canada because of a conviction for smoking pot in the 60s. A 40 year old pot conviction? Yes. Canada has full access to our criminal database and will deny entry at the border for US arrests and convictions, no matter how old. A US citizen with arrest/convictions can apply for a visa, pay the attorney fees and after over $500, might be issued a Canadian visa. It is still up to Immigration to decide who gets in and who does not. Life is not fair and this is just another example.

Vegasmike6, really something has to change because criminalising people for their entire lives is, as you say draconian, and it's difficult to hold any respect for this level of abuse fired at what is often people who are trying desperately to move on with their lives. I wasn't aware that Canada too are now medieval in their approach to their fellow humans.

Brazil has for a while now been reciprocating the situation in that they fingerprint every single USA cirizen that crosses the Brazilian border, but only USA citizens, not the rest of the world. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3358627.stm

There is a fair comment in this article reffering to at least two of the 9/11 terrorists could have been stopped if finger printing had been in place. The thing is these days, the terrorists have more than enough fanatics, so they'll just send maniacs without police records instead, they're evil, not stupid.

Quoting Tightrope

There is a fair comment in this article referring to at least two of the 9/11 terrorists could have been stopped if finger printing had been in place. The thing is these days, the terrorists have more than enough fanatics, so they'll just send maniacs without police records instead, they're evil, not stupid.

It has been in the news that what the terrorists are looking for are US citizens that they can radicalize. So far most of these attempts have failed, but at some point a US citizen will be successful with an act of terror. They are already here, don't have to go through scrutiny at the border. A US citizen coming home faces a less strict examination than a foreigner if they train overseas.

I am afraid terrorism and increased restrictions on travel around the world are going to be with us for the foreseeable future.