New York trip, Visa Application

[myothernameis]

Im planning to go to New York for my 60th Birthday, around 2025, but I need to apply for a visa

Not going here for sexual reasons, but more of a holiday, and some place I have always wanted to travel to

Got myself into trouble in my youth, and not to concerned about this, even though I will need to declare this

Is there anyone else on here, who had to apply for a visa, so once you reached the airport in the USA

How did things go, were things straight forward, like a few questions, or were you questioned in more detail

[DoorDash]

Lol … 2025 … that’s some planning.

Just apply an esta and say no criminal convictions. Done.

[RandomGuy99]

If you're a British citizen you don't need a visa to travel to the US for a holiday as you can travel on visa waiver.

Apply for ETSA which allows them to check your details against their no fly lists and check you don't have any criminal convictions. They ask for details of your social media presence as part of this, so they can check you're not posting a load of anti-american content.  If you have a criminal conviction you may not get your ETSA   ETSAs are valid for 2 or 3 years.

I think you'll need to complete a white visa waiver card on the plane on the way over.

On arrival you'll go through US immigration where they'll take retina scans and compare them with their records and stamp your visa waiver card.

I read that US immigration may turn SPs away at immigration. I don't know if that's really true though.

[wakefieldlad13]

Im planning to go to New York for my 60th Birthday, around 2025, but I need to apply for a visa


Got myself into trouble in my youth, and not to concerned about this, even though I will need to declare this

It as already been suggested, just apply for an ESTA and DO NOT mention it
I cannot speak about anything custodial, but i too had some issues back in the day and have never had issues with getting an ESTA

Your ESTA will possibly be for 2 years, so depending when you are going in 25, then you could apply sooner rather than later and if turned down then apply for the visa siting memory loss etc etc

[RandomGuy99]

It as already been suggested, just apply for an ESTA and DO NOT mention it
I cannot speak about anything custodial, but i too had some issues back in the day and have never had issues with getting an ESTA

Your ESTA will possibly be for 2 years, so depending when you are going in 25, then you could apply sooner rather than later and if turned down then apply for the visa siting memory loss etc etc

If you have a criminal record that involved time in prison they will find out as they check against UK criminal records. I heard of a husband and wife couple who took their kids to the US on holiday. At immigration the husband was denied entry because he'd done time for drug dealing. They all flew home on the next flight and they got no money back.  These days the husband wouldn't get an ETSA so they're denied entry before they even leave the UK

[theeaglekid]

I read that US immigration may turn SPs away at immigration. I don't know if that's really true though.

.


All a bit of a lottery and down to whoever you meet at the border. Ava Austen i beleive could not enter due to providing, but others have entered with no issues.

Roll the dice

[DastardlyDick]

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All a bit of a lottery and down to whoever you meet at the border. Ava Austen i beleive could not enter due to providing, but others have entered with no issues.

Roll the dice

She probably fell foul of "Moral Turpitude" which, in US Law is "an act or behavior that gravely violates the sentiment or accepted standard of the community". I'd guess providing would be covered by that, never mind her pantheon of porn videos!

[cunnyhunt]

I would not circumvent the ESTA by ticking ‘no convictions’ if they find any previous, even minor they will not let you land in the USA.  If you are up front the conviction might be minor and they ignore it. They won’t ignore a false declaration.

I had a Scottish man in the office who had a conviction at 16 for marijuana possession (personal use) and had a conviction. For his 30th he wanted to go to Las Vegas but got turned back at LV as he hadn’t declared it. He found out He would have been allowed in if he declared it, but the false declaration means he’s denied entry for 10(?) years.

[timsussex]

As others have noted you can roll the dice and get an ESTA (not ETSA and there is no card on the plane now))- make sure you use the official US site - there are lots of scam ones. ESTAs are valid for 2 years but are tied to your passport so need to be renewed if you get a new passport VISAs are valid for 10 years so might work out cheaper if you are travelling more than twice in the next 10 years
If you do declare it and depending on the seriousness and the time since then you may need a full VISA which requires an interview at the Embassy in London and usually takes at least 6 months but can take a lot longer. So if you want to play safe apply now

[hairdownthere]

When you go to NY, book a flight that goes through Dublin, you go through US customs there, and its quick.  In the New York airports you could be there for a couple of hours going through customs

[bigden40]

I would not circumvent the ESTA by ticking ‘no convictions’ if they find any previous, even minor they will not let you land in the USA.  If you are up front the conviction might be minor and they ignore it. They won’t ignore a false declaration.

I had a Scottish man in the office who had a conviction at 16 for marijuana possession (personal use) and had a conviction. For his 30th he wanted to go to Las Vegas but got turned back at LV as he hadn’t declared it. He found out He would have been allowed in if he declared it, but the false declaration means he’s denied entry for 10(?) years.

It is worth noting that spent convictions still need to declared on an ESTA

[lewisjones23]

When you go to NY, book a flight that goes through Dublin, you go through US customs there, and its quick.  In the New York airports you could be there for a couple of hours going through customs

I got through JFK in less than 30 min around New Years Eve 2022

[chrishornx]

When you go to NY, book a flight that goes through Dublin, you go through US customs there, and its quick.  In the New York airports you could be there for a couple of hours going through customs

You are right but by 2025 this will also apply for Manchester in respect of a new nonstop Aer Lingus flight to NYC

never try and hide a conviction as they will discover it and as mentioned above  a false declaration is not look upon favourably. If  a criminal conviction is involved then it would be wise to be honest and write to the US Embassy for clarity.

to try and 'wing it' by not being honest could be  a very foolish step to take

 Be honest

[lewisjones23]

You are right but by 2025 this will also apply for Manchester in respect of a new nonstop Aer Lingus flight to NYC

never try and hide a conviction as they will discover it and as mentioned above  a false declaration is not look upon favourably. If  a criminal conviction is involved then it would be wise to be honest and write to the US Embassy for clarity.

to try and 'wing it' by not being honest could be  a very foolish step to take

 Be honest

Aer Lingus already fly direct, its who I flew with in January

Clearing customs in Manchester will be a good addition though

[catweazle]

You are right but by 2025 this will also apply for Manchester in respect of a new nonstop Aer Lingus flight to NYC

never try and hide a conviction as they will discover it and as mentioned above  a false declaration is not look upon favourably. If  a criminal conviction is involved then it would be wise to be honest and write to the US Embassy for clarity.

to try and 'wing it' by not being honest could be  a very foolish step to take

 Be honest

I agree that if you lie on your ESTA application, they'll probably find out. If you're lucky   you'll get an email advising  that your ESTA is cancelled.   If you're  unlucky, you'll be denied boarding at your departure  airport  ( as the airline has to submit a passenger manifest to the US beforehand).

If you're  denied an ESTA or its revoked, the visa at the Embassy route is awful.  You have to submit a certified passport photo to the (UK) Police and obtain a full criminal history print out which will include said photo.

You submit this  along with the fee, to the Embassy.

Eventually   they will give you  an appointment.

When you arrive at the embassy  there's a big queue. Apart from the required docs you can take  nothing in with you ( including your trousers belt).

You will sit and wait. 
Eventually they'll call you to an interview window.   Some spotty preppy fella, about 23 will have read your record  and  if you  previously entered the US after the most recent entry on the criminal record he'll know that.   In all probability   he's already decided whether to grant your visa.

You'll be sat on  a low chair, so you have to look up to him. He'll ask a few perfunctory  questions , probably with the  "granted" or "denied" stamp already in his hand.

If its granted they hang onto your passport for a week or so before  returning  it with the visa.  If its denied you get your passport back immediately,  and he drops a blind down over the window.