Pauldw500

Hi, I want to emigrate to Australia from the UK (don't we all ...lol)but am a lil worried about a criminal record I have. I am 33 yrs old and have been a good boy for over 15 yrs, even then I mostly have juvenile convictions which I am under the impression will not show ?!

All the same as I say nothing major at all, just childish things but I have a lot of issues to cover with emigration and was wondering if anyone knew the facts on this kinda thing ??

Cheers.

WBB

i have just applied for a visa and also have a few criminal convictions from my youth, the advice i was given was to be honest and up front about all your convictions and as long as they are nothing too serious you should be alright.

good luck.

Pauldw500

Hey Billy, well thx for reply, and to be honest woulda done this anyway. I was just curious as to how THEY treat this kind of thing, and what I'da thought to be honest.

One way to find out tho!! but I have to sort out getting qualified in the work dept as I am not qualified in anything other than streets of London ...lol, and am under the impression Qualified tradesmen are in demand over there.

Kentish Man

And once upon a time a criminal record was all you needed.......

Pauldw500

V good ...lol

Pollyana

Billy's advice is the best, it'll look much better if you are upfront and admit everything; also write a nice letter to go with it expalining all the circumstances, how you were young and impressionable and all that stuff, and how much you have now reformed. If necessary get a respectable "pillar of the community" to write you a character reference to say how much you learnt your lesson and wouldn't do it again.

Wol

And don't forget to send your fingerprints <g>

WBB

exactly what i have spent the last week or so doing!

Pauldw500

For real ???

I thought they'd do some sort of charachter check with the ole bill over here ?! I am currently a London cabbie and we are checked out by the Metropolitan reguraly so I know I'm ok on that front :-)

I just wonder how my knowlege of London will help in my application ..lol, but seriously I think i will have to train in another field to get in. I have posted another thread on here about this.

Pollyana

Paul,
The checks done on cabbies may not contain all the convictions that are held on the Police National Computer (its all to do with ones that are normally considered "spent"). If your offences from years ago were that awful though, they wouldn't be considered "spent" and therefore would certainly have affected your cab licence by now.
They can't do a character check as such because the police don't actually know anything about your "character", they just ask for a PNC check, which you apply for yourself.

http://www.met.police.uk/dataprotection/forms.htm

if you are in the Met area, and its form 3019B.

A letter to go with any "confession" of previous offences will just make it look as if you have considered what you did, and realise it was wrong, all that kind of thing.
========

Billy - hope you're getting on OK mate?

Pollyana

Former police-record-checking witch!!

Pauldw500

oooooooooo, a witch ?! ...lol

Ok well thx for the info. I had to do a similar thing when I applied to be cab driver in the first place. Letter and all, but have been a v good boy since appart from 1 speeding conviction.

I think as I have several issues to get thru, I think maybe one of those 'agents' or whatever their called might be worth calling ??

ABCDiamond

Paul,
If you can become a London cabbie, then you would have no trouble becoming a cabbie over here

I dont often get a taxi, but when I have done, I normally have to direct the driver to where I am going. I am sure that you can become a taxi driver here within 5 days of getting in at the airport

Pauldw500

Thx ABC, but I really do not want to continue cabbing. I am prob doing the job in the best place to do it (lONDON) and am completely burnt out I'm afraid. Only took 7 yrs, but London is a V bad place these days, hence the want to emigrate.

I can work with PC's and am a dab hand with Carpentry (altho not qualified in any way) these I see are my options in getting a visa and again, another thread on here bout that too ...lol

Cabbing has been good to me, but never again!

Pollyana

Hi Paul,
Not a very genuine one unfortunately (well, not at present as the broom is in storage and the crystal ball still on a ship from the UK!) - but I emigrated on Hallowe'en......:scared: :scared:

Might be an idea to speak to an agent - they can at least give you an idea from previous cases. Go Matilda seem very good; I didn't need an agent but Alan Collett who is part of Go Matilda has answered a couple of queries for me and has had good reports from others.

Have a look at www.gomatilda.com

Good luck,

Pauldw500

Thx witchypoo I'll check em out :-)