keeny

Hi all. Just seen another post from someone asking about previous criminal record but from years back. Made me want to ask some advice from anyone who already has visa. My husband got arrested about 3 yrs ago, for running on to a football pitch & approaching a player! (He'd a few drinks that day & was near the end of the season so says the 'atmosphere got the better of him') He spent couple of hours in cells, then we went to court a while later only to end up with a fine of around £300.00. His police check came back other day & this shows, but is it a big enough problem for Immigration to deny him a visa? I mean it wasnt a 'major' offense, didnt serve time, just got a fine. Does anyone think this will cause us a problem? Thanks in advance.

sparkie down under

I don't work for the department but if I were you I'd front up from the outset on this one. 3 years isn't a long time

Genesis

Hi, my understanding is that you need to look at what they require you to disclose. When I looked I was sure it was ONLY custodial sentencs that they were interested in. I very, very much doubt if it will be an issue, it sounds like the offence of 'pitch invasion', sounds bad but not very serious..a fairly lowly public order offence. Easiest thing to do is to look on www.nzis.govt.nz and do a search on 'criminal records disclosure'. Obvoiusly if you are asked at any point in the application process directly re ANY offences in last 'x' amount of years you must include it.

hazeandsteve

You are only normally excluded for a custodial sentence, but you'll pretty much be declined if you don't disclose something they can see in seconds when they look at his sheet.
You'll have to write an explanatory letter, but as long as he's not a bad un, you'll have no problem.
Yours, bearer of a character waiver for being a bad un years ago, Steve.

keeny

thanks guys.

Fooferfish

Ha ha ha


I moved here when i was 38 and did a silly thing when i was 13, fired a catapult at a lad and got done for it, now back then the Police said as i was under 16 it would not stay on my record ha ha ha how wrong could they ahve been !!

Well after applying for our Police checks, mine came back with that incident on it and under the heading of Fire arms and offensive weapons, also inbetween those years i had been in the Special Contabulary, so they would have checked this before letting me in there, but i still had to write a letter explaining this to casze officer, she told me she had to refer it to her boss WTF, so we dicided to go to London and explain it in person , and deliver all our ITA, the thing she saw was the offence under the heading off Fire arms, and did not read further about my age and when it happened, so after another letter and us explaining it, we got through and 4 years later we are still in NZ.

I know other people who have done minor things and have had them come back on Police checks after 40 years, just write a letter explaining circumstances and she'll be right.

Its amazing how thses little things come back to haunt you.