my visit to the usa - advice needed

[southeastmale 0]

I am in the UK ( a UK resident ) and would like to visit New York for a week's holiday in September / October this year.

 

I am in my late fifties and looked into visiting under the esta process.  Back in the early 1980's when I was 17 I committed the crime of assault and was fined a

first offense amount of £50 In the UK it is considered a spent offence though it does show up on enhanced DBS checks.

I ticked the Criminal Act box on the ESTA website and it appears I now have to go through the process of applying for a visa.

 

As it is the first time I have gone through this process I am finding it a little confusing. do I have to pay a fee to apply? Does the fact that the offense

was committed a long time ago make a difference? I would like to perhaps visit the USA on a long-term visa in the future sometime so I want to be honest in my

application. this will be my first visit to the USA

 

Mike

 

[milimelo 4,481]

All the questions starting with Have you ever... really do mean have you ever. Looks like you completed ESTA application and was denied and now need to apply for B2 visa. Yes, you do have to pay the tourist visa fee ($160-185 depending on the country) before you can schedule your interview. 

 

Edited April 23 by milimelo

[Boiler 45,525]

Are you a UK Citizen?

 

ESTA is for the squeaky clean.

[appleblossom 2,548]

Yes, you need to apply for a B visa. Just be aware that if you need a waiver for your conviction (you won’t know this until the visa interview) then current processing times are 9 months so don’t make any travel plans until you have a visa in hand. 
 

Best of luck. 

[smilingstone 175]

18 hours ago, Boiler said:

Are you a UK Citizen?

 

ESTA is for the squeaky clean.

 

Is an ESTA for the squeaky clean though? The questions to me seem very specific to particular crimes (and degrees of crimes). For example, there's no mention of arrests for theft, driving offences, vandalism, etc. 

 

"Assault" in the UK is a broad conviction. It could be from anything from throwing a drink on someone to grievous bodily harm. In my opinion, the question that asks "Have you ever been arrested or convicted for a crime that resulted in ... serious harm to another person ... ?" suggests a level of offense that warrants more than a £50 slap on the wrist.

 

OP, you will have to provide an ACRO police report for your B visa interview and seeing as you have spent convictions, you will also need a Subject Access Request (SAR) which will detail the spent conviction.

[Boiler 45,525]

That is why the Consulate need the opportunity of reviewing it.

 

It is not what you were given, it is what you could have been given.

[dwheels76 5,468]

On 4/23/2024 at 3:32 PM, southeastmale said:

I am in the UK ( a UK resident ) and would like to visit New York for a week's holiday in September / October this year.

 

I am in my late fifties and looked into visiting under the esta process.  Back in the early 1980's when I was 17 I committed the crime of assault and was fined a

first offense amount of £50 In the UK it is considered a spent offence though it does show up on enhanced DBS checks.

I ticked the Criminal Act box on the ESTA website and it appears I now have to go through the process of applying for a visa.

 

As it is the first time I have gone through this process I am finding it a little confusing. do I have to pay a fee to apply? Does the fact that the offense

was committed a long time ago make a difference? I would like to perhaps visit the USA on a long-term visa in the future sometime so I want to be honest in my

application. this will be my first visit to the USA

 

Mike

 

What did you mean "I would like to perhaps visit the USA on a long-term visa in the future"