Good evening everyone, I am new to this so my apologies if this is in the wrong place or if these posts crop up a lot.

I am hoping to apply for a tourist visa but I have seen many people get denied them for having a criminal record and similar offences to me.

I was was charged with GBH with intent when I was 19 and sentenced for it at 21. I received 2Y 6M for it. I had a pretty crap childhood. Alcoholic/abusive dad which led to parents getting divorced, sister was in intensive care with a serious eating disorder etc (probably a bit too much information but I’ve read other cases where things such as this play a factor in decisions, I am of course not using the above to excuse my actions or behaviour). Against the advise of friends who told me to lie on the online e-visa for the USA I applied through the correct channels and was denied a visa to the USA in 2015 due to a ‘crime of moral turpitude’ and permanently excluded as a result. I have read with Australia that it’s a good idea to present your case in a very professional manner ahead of making an application. I genuinely have changed my life completely now and grown up a lot. I am 30 now, I have two children, I work as a senior support worker for vulnerable adults (I’ve done that for almost 3Y now) and most importantly I have had no issues with the law since the altercation that happened when I was a teenager (19). I guess what I am asking for is a point in the right direction and if anyone who has expertise in the area to tell me if I have any hope of obtaining a holiday visa. It is a big dream of my daughters to visit Sydney as she has cousins out there and I would love to be a part of that.

Thanks for taking your time to read my thread :)

Tom

Thanks for the replies guys, I’ve sent George an email I’ll try to update this thread as I go so anyone in a similar position has something to reference, if anyone else has further advise it would be very much appreciated

Thanks man :-)

this is something I have often thought I could use to challenge the decision made as I never had an ‘evil intention’.. a friend was getting beaten up so I intervened. Unfortunately GBH with intent is a rather easy category to fall into, the intention comes from the ‘intention to cause harm’ and is nothing to do with if the crime was premeditated or not.. for example if I pushed somebody and they fell over and broke their arm I could be charged with ‘GBH’ but if I punched somebody with a closed fist and broke their jaw I could be charged with ‘GBH with intent’