question for Norman the dog

[tigwig]

Hi i keep reading your answers and want to know how you know so much?!! I am especially interested in us visa info because you say that US immigration don't have access to criminal records of normal people but how do you know? We were told that they definitely did and my husband had to get a visa for drink driving if I had known that it was all a con we wouldn't have bothered

[Buenchico]

I've no idea where Norm gets his information from but, although I frequently find myself disagreeing with him, I've go to back him on this issue.

EU legislation, on privacy and data protection, prevents national governments from making their criminal records freely available to others (including other governments). They may only disclose information, where there is 'justifiable cause', on a case by case basis. So the UK government can pass on information about drug traffickers, sex tourists and suspected terrorists (or anyone else where there is 'justifiable cause') but can't simply allow US immigration officials to have free access to the UK criminal records database.

The USA and Canada operate a common database for criminal records but, otherwise, US officials can't access criminal records from other countries.

Under the rules on the US embassy website, your husband was ineligible to enter the USA under the Visa Waiver Program and therefore required a visa. However, the visa waiver form, which is completed on the aircraft, only asks about convictions for crimes of 'moral turpitude'. Your husband could have truthfully answered 'No' to that question.

Chris

[dzug]

Well unless you killed or injured someone a single offence of drink driving is not a crime involving 'moral turpitude' so you would be eligible for the visa waiver anyway.

No-one really knows exactly what information on UK citizens US immigration have at the point of entry - probably not much. I suspect that apart from a few techies they don't really know themselves.

If they had 'everything' it would be unusable - are you the Joe Brown who was done for theft in 1996 or was it another Joe Brown?

[NORMANTHEDOG]

the infomation i have picked up regarding entry into the USA is from the horses mouth,along with the garages that we run in the family busines,is a executive car hire company in central london,which has a account for taking staff home late at night from the US embassy,i myself have in the past done some of these journeys,and of course you get talking,and this subject was brought up many times,of course there is liasson between them and our security services about people who are a threat to both countries and of course big time drug dealers etc,but joe bloggs,who got nicked for abh 3 yrs ago and then did some shoplifting the year after,is not included in these,they do not have acces to our criminal records computer,and therefore,if you fill out the visa waiver form the way THEY want it filled out,you will have no problem getting in the US at the moment,whether that changes in the future,i dont know

[tigwig]

to everyone who answered thank you I only wish I had been a member of AB before we got the visa we would have saved ourselves alot of stress, time and money.

[spotit3]

When applying for a visa for the u.S.A. you have to get a form filled in by the CRO (Criminal Records Office) over here and it will state if you have any any relevant convictions. I don't think driving convictions count or some other minor ones but any assault convictions generally make you a no-no.