Did you or anyone you know travel while they had a criminal record? If so, which countries did you go to? Did you expericence any problems with getting a passport, visas, entering countries, working abroad..... because of your criminal record?
Yet again great advice will have to ask them as I only got one chance in this interview thanks a lot god I'm scared now haha
Reply to this You do have another chance, there is an appeal - but your first chance is the best chance.
Reply to this All this info is great to read & I hope everything's worked out for those worried
Has anybody got a story from when they actually arrived at customs...was it ok to enter?
I'm going to California this summer, from the UK. I have been arrested for 'criminal damage' a friend caused in a hotel room that was under my name...all it was was blue hair dye on a door! They took my prints & photo, interviewed me & let me go with no fine or conviction as it was a pointless thing. I just had a letter saying if they wanted to look into they could; they did not.
Will I be able to tick no on the VWP where they ask if I've been arrested?
Would my prints/photo here show up in America?
Please if anybody has info, please say! Thanks! I'm so scared.
Reply to this Hello Ava and welcome to Travelblog!
No conviction should be no problems. If you reveal that you were arrested then it is likely to cause you issues. Whether you choose to reveal that or not is your call, but were you arrested or was it just being "taken to the station"?
Reply to this Thankyou!
Ok I see, Yes I was actually arrested, only in September. I think I will lie on my VWP form and say no as it wasn't a serious thing; it was a pathetic reason to be arrested in my opinion.
Nothing came of it, after being interviewed & in a cell for a few hours they reviewed the situation & decided it was nothing & I was sent home asif nothing happened. The police said I wouldn't have a criminal record.
I'm just scared they may get my prints or photo.
Do you know of anybody that has actually lied too & had no problem on arrival?
Thanks again for the reply!
Reply to this I've been doing some research and checked the Visa Waiver Program on the US Government's ESTA website. Note what it says:
"Have you ever been arrested or convicted for an offense or crime involving moral turpitude or a violation related to a controlled substance; or been arrested or convicted for two or more offenses for which the aggregate sentence to confinement was five years or more; or been a controlled substance trafficker; or are you seeking entry to engage in criminal or immoral activities?"
It then defines "moral turpitude" as such:
"Crimes involving moral turpitude - Such offenses generally involve conduct which is inherently base, vile, or depraved and contrary to the accepted rules of morality and the duties owed to persons or society in general. There are factors, such as the age of the offender or the date of the offense, that may affect whether an offense will be considered a crime involving moral turpitude for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act."
Firstly, your supposed "offence" does not involve "moral turpitude" (blue hair dye on a door would be unlikely to count) and does not involve a "controlled substance". Thus, I believe you could genuinely answer no to that question (based on what you have said above) as it does not fit this definition.
If you want to read more about moral turpitude, please read this from the US Justice Department:
Grounds for Judicial Deportation
I hope this is helpful.
[Edited: 2012 Feb 10 09:13 - The Travel Camel:11053 - Added quotation marks :-)]
Reply to this Thankyou, I never thought to see what it actually says.
Okay,so the hair dye does not fit intro that category, I see; thanks for posting that. I wasn't sure of what their definition of 'moral turpitude' was.
I am just going to answer no & hope to god that they can't receive my prints/photo.
Yes, this was very helpful & I now have a clearer understanding of what their definition is.
Thank you 😊
Reply to this Hello to the board, very new here and this seems like the topic I've been searching for months to find out about.
So after reading all of this I am more confused than ever. I am reading about people entering the u.s. and leaving the u.s. some with passports and convictions, some without.
I am an American citizen who is NOT on parole *never have been* and not on probation, I dont have back taxes or owe child support. I do however have convictions stupid as they may be, but would I be allowed to get a passport for Denmark?
I know that I dont need a visa for Denmark, but I dont want to fork out 200.00 for a passport and find out I am denied and wasted money.I called the courts and they said that while i have lost voting rights and gun rights over the years, that I have not lost the right to travel that they know of. And paying restitution *court fines* they said won't hold me back. So will having a criminal history stop me from leaving the U.S. and entering Denmark, more importantly will I be denied a passport to go there? I recently found out my daughter is there and would love to have me come visit, I just don't know if I'd be granted a passport on prior convictions from over the years/
Reply to this Hello and welcome to Travelblog!
I do not know the answer to this, perhaps someone from the US can assist. Overall, getting a passport in your own country is easier than obtaining visas or gaining entry for other places; passports are an identity document, visas are are permission document. Likewise, leaving a country is generally easier than arriving.
Reply to this Hi all,
In 1983 I was arrested in Vic for a small amount of pot, I was giving a $50 fine and a one year good behavior bond which I completed. I want to travel to the US and was wondering if the arrest is still on the record and that I need to declare it?
Thanks
Reply to this Hello WTV and welcome to Travelbog!
Was a conviction recorded? I'd say that back in 1983 any such offence would be a criminal one.
Reply to this
In response to: Msg #79943 Hi everybody. Just to let you know that my partner & I traveled to Asia last year. Now I have been there before with my convications.
The other country I went to was Aussie back in 2007. I was to honest in filling out their form on the plane. Now I need a Visa. Stupid. All of this is politics. I have a UK passport so I can & will travel to Europe now without the hassle of getting a visa.
I will try again for Aussie & show them where I have been. They think that all criminals are dumb & can't get a job to pay for their fees.ven if I can't get a visa Im not to worried cause the list of countries i can go to to amazing.
Aussie isn't that great to go to. Look at their stupid PM. Glad she's not ours.
Enjoy your day.
Reply to this Hey guys Im from Australia just wondering if I would be able to travel to anywhere in Europe just for a holiday not working at all... There's a few problems I have though I have been convicted of selling and supplying in September 2009 and in 2007 I got convicted of drink driving but was only 17 at the time so won't be on my adult record... If anyone has any info that will be able to tell me where I can travel will be good... I have not been in trouble since 2009 and have been to Bali twice Thailand once and Malaysia once since then with no problems.. Would love to know if I can go to Europe cheers
Reply to this Hi i was wanting to travel to africa at the end of this year but i have a criminal record for drugs. does anyone know if i will be able to get in or where i can find out if i will?
Reply to this Hello French Fries and welcome to Travelbog!
It is hard to answer this question unless you specify which countries you will travel. However, in general, one can see that people with such convictions find it more difficult to gain access to countries such as those in North America, Australia and Europe, whereas they encounter less problems in visiting Asia. I would suspect (but not certain) that such ease would also apply to most countries in Africa.
Reply to this Hi Shane,
I will be will be going to Zambia in africa. I am currently going up for a drugs charge at the end of this month, will it matter how recent the charge was?
Cheers
Reply to this Unfortunately, I do not know, but since this is current, it might make things more difficult. One clue is that if applying for a visa, does the form ask for details of any such convictions? If obtaining it at the border, it might be a bit of lottery, but I would still be guided by the visa form as to what is viewed as unacceptable.
For example, in coming to Australia, one of the questions on the passenger card is "Do you have any criminal conviction/s?" and we are one of the strictest on such matters. Yet no such equivalent appears on many other countries. In Singapore it merely asks "Have you ever been prohibited from entering Singapore?" and I notice quite a few countries have this question. Maybe do a Google image search for Zambia arrival or immigration card, I tried it, but was unsuccessful.
I am no expert on this area, but my observations come from travelling to many countries and seeing the different imposed restrictions, in addition to me doing some web research when another question appears here! I've never had a criminal conviction, so cannot speak from experience apart from reading and hearing stories from fellow travellers.
Reply to this 
