Travelling to US with a criminal record in the UK

Quoting Justsellingtech

Just a question, following the interview if you are granted a visa or granted a waiver whats the process for passport?

Ie if you are granted a visa do they stamp it instantly or keep the passport and post it within 2 weeks etc?

Or if its a waiver granted then they will tell you when to send in the passport?

The only reason I'm asking is I have a flight booked in europe 2 weeks after my interview date and don't know how it works

Thanks

On the two occasions, ive been "recommended for a waiver" take passport home and wait for the email in about 5-8 months.

>Just a question, following the interview if you are granted a visa or granted a waiver whats the process for passport?
Ie if you are granted a visa do they stamp it instantly or keep the passport and post it within 2 weeks etc?
Or if its a waiver granted then they will tell you when to send in the passport?

If you're granted a visa on the day they'll tell you when to send your passport. It's usually returned within 2 weeks or so of interview but there are no guarantees.

If you are recommended for a waiver it can take up to 9 months to process (not done at embassies). Recent comments on here suggest it's taking 8-9 months. When it's granted they'll email you to send in your passport.

>I have a flight booked in europe 2 weeks after my interview date

If you're granted a visa on the day you'll need to explain that to the interviewing officer. He/she will guide you on what to do.

If your Europe trip dates really can't be changed it might be an idea to cancel and remake your interview appointment?

[ Edit: Edited on 21 Aug 2024, 16:18 GMT by leics2 ]

Hi, anyone ever has to provide additional documents to the embassy after a (temporary) refusal under s221?

I received my SAR last Thursday, so emailed that over the same day but havent heard anything yet.

the s221 letter says after emailing over the additional info, to wait two workdays and go to the ais.usvisa-info.com website and there should be instructions for printing the courier details. That page just still says 'check DS160 status'. and when I go through there I still get a pop up message saying its refused and was last updated on the date of my interview.

the reference at the bottom of the s221 letter says 2018-12 so it looks like they are still using an old letter and maybe their timescales have now increased.

just wondered what anyone else's experiences of response time was when they have sent additional documents in.

thanks

Quick question for those who had a criminal record and were granted a ten year visa…did you have any problems entering the US? Were you asked why you were travelling on a visa and were you taken for additional questioning? I am entering via a port rather than an airport…if I was to be taken for questioning how much time should I allow to book a transfer to collect me after?

[ Edit: Edited on 23 Aug 2024, 12:50 GMT by Inthesun ]

Inthesun:

>were granted a ten year visa…did you have any problems entering the US? Ie were you taken for additional questioning

Anyone can be taken for secondary questioning, regardless of entry with Esta or visa, their criminal record, their citizenship or whatever. The decision to take someone for secondary questioning isn't purely based on Esta or visa: it can be related to data flagged up on the system, on how the person behaves in the queue and at the desk, on the answers he/she gives to the officer's questions or and it can be purely at random (for training purposes and to avoid accusations of racial profiling). However, it is likely that tourist visitors from Esta-eligible countries using a tourist visa raise will officers' interest (they know exactly why someone would need a visa rather than use an Esta).

Secondary questioning can take just a few minutes or it can take several hours. There's no way of knowing in advance.

Don't regard it as a 'problem': it's just a country ensuring that its borders are maintained as well as possible. However long it takes remain calm and courteous throughout and answer all questions honestly.

The answers others may give on here have little bearing on your chances of being taken for secondary questioning. Too much depends on internal regulations and guidelines in operation at the time of entry, how busy staff are at the time of entry, whether new staff need training in procedures at the time of entry, the individual airport, how many other people are being questioned at the same tme and a myriad other possible factors. There's simply no way of accurately gauging your chances in advance.

The best approach is just to assume it will happen to you and to make sure that others travelling with you know that it's very likely. If you are taken for secondary questioning officers will ensure anyone travelling with you knows what's happening and where to wait for more info. And if it doesn't happen be pleased...but don't expect it not to happen on your next visit.

[ Edit: Edited on 23 Aug 2024, 13:06 GMT by leics2 ]

Mustangmatt:

>the reference at the bottom of the s221 letter says 2018-12 so it looks like they are still using an old letter and maybe their timescales have now increased.

I think it's very likely that timescales have increased. Waiver processing time has increased from around 6 months to 'up to 9 months' and one fairly recent poster on this thread sent her passport to the embassy (at their request) and didn't get it back for 4 weeks!

And it's the summer holidays....

Just a thought: if you don't hear anything it might be worth deleting the history/cache and cookies for the site? Sometimes computers continue to show you a page as it was when you last viewed it. It's just a thought because my bank site once refused to let me in because it 'remembered' the (minor) error I'd made when logging in (once) and simply wouldn't accept the correct details. When I phoned the bank, the helpful chap told me to delete history and cookies....and it worked like a charm. Might be worth trying?

Quoting leics2

Mustangmatt:

I think it's very likely that timescales have increased. Waiver processing time has increased from around 6 months to 'up to 9 months' and one fairly recent poster on this thread sent her passport to the embassy (at their request) and didn't get it back for 4 weeks!

And it's the summer holidays....

Just a thought: if you don't hear anything it might be worth deleting the history/cache and cookies for the site? Sometimes computers continue to show you a page as it was when you last viewed it. It's just a thought because my bank site once refused to let me in because it 'remembered' the (minor) error I'd made when logging in (once) and simply wouldn't accept the correct details. When I phoned the bank, the helpful chap told me to delete history and cookies....and it worked like a charm. Might be worth trying?

oh dear - that 4 weeks is a bit worrying!

Yes, true, and its also bank holiday on Monday, and i think the embassy is shut on 2 September for Labor day too, so thats another 2 days gone.

will try that, thanks. i've tried on my phone and no joy, and i'm hoping they would email me anyway with an update, but will delete history and cookies and see if anything happens.

cheers

I have let the travel party know that I may be taken to secondary. However the problem I have is that I have a transfer and flight to get home that day with my children…

I have allowed as much time in between disembarking the ship and my transfer (2.5 hours), I am just so worried I will end up being stranded and miss flight if I am taken for some extremely long questioning. However, I have never had a criminal record just an arrest which I decided to be honest about so i am hoping there’s not going to be huge delays if I do get taken.

Today was interview day.
It wasnt as a slick a process as it was in 2019.
Appointment was for 8.30 and joined the que outside to check in checked in ansd joined security que.
By 8.40 i was in the 3rd que of the day, inside scanned ds-160 and passpport and sent to P2 on 1st floor.
On was to P2 was ushered into another que but could see that it was wromg so pulled staff and they let me through. About 4 people in front of me .
P2 is alledgedly a privacy room, doors were propped open tho so the world could hear whats being said. Eventaully they started shouting numbers, one by one people went in some taking ages due to not having filled in paperwork or not having correct paperwork.
Eventually my turn handed passport and ds-160, he requested police certificate and the step down sheet that comes with it, offered the SAR and he hummed and said no and then can i take a look.
Finger prints taken, and paperwork given back and off to P3 P4.
This is where it got or could have gotten silly. Again when making way, escorted into anothet huge que, but could see it wasnt for P3 P4.
Get to the right place, qbout 7 people in a apace with 4 chairs, both booths in darkness, this is now 9.20.
Suddenly just hear ... whos 1st (9.40)
No numbers could have turned into a free for all, but id been chatting with a few and we knew the numbers so made sure as much as possible we went in turn.
I went in 10.10 . Handed over passport, ds-160, and he asked for police cert and the stepdown letter. Offered the SAR and he refused but thanked me for coming prepared, askwd my age at conviction ( probably as i sent to a young offender institute) confimed 19 at the time . Checked finger prints and said this isnt your fisrt song and dance with this. As you know you innelligable for a visa , ive recommended you for a waiver and as you probably know the wait is 6-9 months. Thanked me and off i went. Back outside the emabssy by 10.20.

Notes
Was not asked for VCU01
Was not asked for photo.
A lot of people did not have the correct paperwork.
A lot of people did not expect the waiver time and will not be traveling.