US Spouse Visa, Juvenile Criminal Records

[MD Essex 0]

My wife would like me to apply for a US Visa (I’m from the UK, she’s US but resident in the UK), her parents are aging and she’d like to spend more time with them. I think my juvenile record will go against me and I would appreciate anybody who has had anything similar.

 

I’m 51 years old and my offences happened in 1989 and 1990 when I was 15 and 16 years old. I have not so much as speeding fine since then.

 

However my youth record is less than to be desired

 

In 1989 I was convicted of 3 separate charges of Burglary & Theft – Non Dwelling with 20 other offenses taken into consideration. I was given a conditional discharge of 2 years for each of the 3 offenses and fined GBP 116 for one of them. That was not 3 separate arrests and court appearance, all the same arrest and court date etc but just with the three charges against me.

 

Then in 1990 I was convicted of Theft of a Cycle and fined GBP 70 and fined further 3 times GBP 10 for breaking the conditional discharges from my 1989 record.

 

It’s something I’m still hugely ashamed of to this day but it is what it is and I can't change it, I would hope age and the clean record since would see them overlooked but the Burglary & Theft charge looks very damning to me, 3 charges and 20 taken into consideration isn’t great no matter how you look at it and then to break the conditional discharge hardly shows a reformed youth at that point.

 

We’ll be starting the process regardless, if it’s rejected then so be it and we’ll have to work on long distance for periods or perhaps try to get her parents here so just looking for some practical advise on if I have mountain to climb or not.

[pushbrk 13,326]

5 hours ago, MD Essex said:

My wife would like me to apply for a US Visa (I’m from the UK, she’s US but resident in the UK), her parents are aging and she’d like to spend more time with them. I think my juvenile record will go against me and I would appreciate anybody who has had anything similar.

 

I’m 51 years old and my offences happened in 1989 and 1990 when I was 15 and 16 years old. I have not so much as speeding fine since then.

 

However my youth record is less than to be desired

 

In 1989 I was convicted of 3 separate charges of Burglary & Theft – Non Dwelling with 20 other offenses taken into consideration. I was given a conditional discharge of 2 years for each of the 3 offenses and fined GBP 116 for one of them. That was not 3 separate arrests and court appearance, all the same arrest and court date etc but just with the three charges against me.

 

Then in 1990 I was convicted of Theft of a Cycle and fined GBP 70 and fined further 3 times GBP 10 for breaking the conditional discharges from my 1989 record.

 

It’s something I’m still hugely ashamed of to this day but it is what it is and I can't change it, I would hope age and the clean record since would see them overlooked but the Burglary & Theft charge looks very damning to me, 3 charges and 20 taken into consideration isn’t great no matter how you look at it and then to break the conditional discharge hardly shows a reformed youth at that point.

 

We’ll be starting the process regardless, if it’s rejected then so be it and we’ll have to work on long distance for periods or perhaps try to get her parents here so just looking for some practical advise on if I have mountain to climb or not.

This issue will not come up until after the petition is filed and approved. You will then submit a UK police report which will or will not show these offences.  Nevertheless, you must disclose them as a part of your actual visa application submitted at that stage.  It's going to be a judgment call, but US Consular Officers will know your age at the time and how long ago that was.