Hachi

I have a question which I hope will bring about some good discussion but also get others points of view and understanding as well as pointers to the facts and any true life events one may want to share.

The question is do foreign immigration officials have access to UK criminal records? Now I know the short answer is yes but I guess the discussion thread is how routine. I have always been under the impression that foreign immigration or any outside agency have no direct access to our UK records. They must put in a request through Interpol or other agreed format.

Now I believe some exceptions exists, for example I believe US and Canada records are shared directly so they can just open the system and do a search and it searches both countries records.

I believe Australia and New Zealand have a similar agreement but not computer based, one would fax some forms through to the other side so to speak and the persons criminal background searched and details faxed back.

Now if you read enough blogs you will see claims that Australia and even Canada do automatic criminal background checks on EVERY person entering the country. I am not sure I believe this, if so why waste time with the whole visa approval only to know before you fly they are going to turf you out!!!! Also if such a system existed I would have expected the US to jump on board and do the same.

I read a claim that if you are travelling to Australia and have a criminal record they already know before you arrive as the online Visa approves everyone then they lie in wait. Personally I don't believe this version but would love to hear your comments.

One thing is certain that even in the UK the various agencies have issues sharing data so I find it hard to believe we can do it even better with overseas travellers.

In addition and I can't find it anymore but I once read some so called facts which claimed such a system could not work as the amount of UK travellers each day to Australia is more than the daily checks conducted on the UK police database. For example you are walking down the street and are stopped by the police, he or she radios for a person check on this results in an operator conducting a search on the Police National Database. This is repeated all day with every single police force as a matter of routine, then add to that the number of person undergoing various checks, for say a CRB check in order to work at a school or something. Again add to that people applying for a record of conviction to show at the embassy. All this adds up to a large number of searches. Now personally I'm not sure if more people travel to Australia each day than there are searches on the database but the thread was claiming it would not be practical and put a large strain on the system.

Now your views, do other countries automatically conduct a search on UK records as routine on all visitors?

I personally don't think they do. For each and every country where you need a visa they will always require you to obtain a record of conviction. In addition as the UK uses the Step Down model which means depending on the crime and duration passed the event no longer appears on searches including your own record of conviction. However it will say something like No Trace found or No Current Trace, I'm not sure of the exact words used but basically it means something has been stepped down. The Embassies know this and will require you to then obtain the actual court records as the certificate of conviction will no longer supply the details even to the person who committed them. What this means is the officials have no access otherwise why would they need you to obtain such information for them. This is my view and I would love to hear counter argument.

Has anyone turned up to Australia or Canada and had immigration waiting with printouts of their criminal history?

I know the US don't and unless you declare it then it is rarely noticed unless you are picked up for some other reason and they request details from Interpol.

Just for clarification I am not looking to discuss entry requirements an visas on here, just whether a foreign immigration conduct routine checks as standard.

Pollyana

Actually the short answer is No.


If you are emigrating to Australia a CRB check is worthless, you need a check from ACPO http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

Ignore the rumours and conjectures.

spouse of scouse

If you're just asking out of general interest, why not contact DIBP directly and ask them?

Bermudashorts

I couldn't care less.

goldchoccycoin

People do get stopped by immigration having stated 'no' to having a criminal record and are confronted with their criminal history - it has been shown on Border Security (TV show). Obviously the details of how that occurred aren't disclosed but there must be some access to records even if it's not an instant access online database.

I have no doubt that people are able to enter Aus after dishonestly completing their entry form regarding their history but for longer stays (457 and PR visas) the requirement to provide a Police Clearance Cert means you need to be honest.

Pollyana

To clear up some of your misconceptions......(as its a very slow morning at work and I've finished the crossword )

As I said before, the short answer is No.

No they don't. If they did, they would only be able to do so on their own country's database.

Rubbish. Not everyone who applies for a visa for Australia is granted one. Some are refused because of their convictions, others are granted visas in spite of having convictions, after review by DIBP. What n earth you mean by "lying in wait" baffles me, if DIBP know someone has a record and refuse them a visa because of it, that person would not even make it onto the plane.
Rubbish again. I used to spend my life doing checks on the Police National Computer. On a good day I could do 3000-4000 name checks. One person, in one office, in one police force.
Its irreleevant though cos OPNC checks are NOT routinely carried out on people traverlling to Aus.
Tell you what, have a FACT, not a view. No. Other countries do not, and more than Aus does.
Not true.
[QUOTE=Hachi;11385936]
The Embassies know this and will require you to then obtain the actual court records as the certificate of conviction will no longer supply the details even to the person who committed them.
That isn't true either, it may happen in some cases for some countries, but it is not a blanket rule as you seem to think.
It could happen, as if one has a record, has applied for a visa, and has supplied their record of convictions, that would be on DIBP computers, and thus available to Border Control agents.

Each country has its own rules,m each country has its own visa requirements. There is no blanket policy nor is there ever likely to be.