edd1989

Hi

I want to get a C1/D visa for a shipboard position. I am a croupier and want to work on the ships and this is the visa I need to get.

Last month I was convicted of 2 counts of Driving Without Due Care and Attention (careless driving). I got a hefty fine and 10 points put on my license (12 points is a ban). There wasn't any accident or anyone hurt. It was just a move I did on 2 sequencial nights.

I am having to jump through hoops like getting ACPO to do a background check and I have had to go to the courts again to get a record of my trial.

Will this affect my Visa application?

I'm quite worried that this is going to beome a problem. I have a ship that I need to be on for the 22nd of October.

Many thanks

Edd

crg

An application would not normally be denied for a driving offense such as what you are describing.

I don't see how anyone could know if you will get the visa by October 22, or if the consulate will have other concerns about the application though. There are too many variables to consider.

meauxna

I see too, that the link is broken on the London website, the one that tells you what to do if you've been arrested.

edd1989, all you can do is take in the supporting documentation you mention and explain that you had temporary moronity.

edd1989

Thanks for the replys.

I thought what I did was stupid and paid for it in a big fine, points and now a bigger insurance premium. I was just concerned I would pay for it in barred entry with the Visa as well. Apparently I'm only in the US for 3 days as well.

I am having to jump through hoops to get this done though. Getting the court Memorandum (£60), ACPO check (£70) and filling out all the forms. Hopefully I won't go through all this for nothing. Especially since they were really minor offences. I just hope it won't take too long, I'm preparing everything I can as fast as I can.

The 22nd is quite close, I just hope it can be done by then. Hopefully I can get my interview before the month is out. Thats best case scenario.
How quickly can you get interviews?

ian-mstm

With respect, two consecutive careless driving charges on subsequent nights aren't simply "minor offences". One can be forgiven as moronic (thanks Meauxna)... two demonstrate a pattern of irresponsibility and poor judgment.

Ian

crg

I'd agree. Some young people grow out of such risky behavior, and others end up in a casket and take innocent people with them. The OP is fortunate that irresponsibility and poor judgment aren't grounds of inadmissibility.

edd1989

I'll explain the details of offences just for a bit of background.

As mentioned above I'm a croupier and therefore work nights. I was coming home on sequential nights e.g. 5th and 6th at 0500 and 0200 in the morning.

The roads are deserted, an odd taxi maybe but other than that the roads are clear.

There is a section of road that is long, straight, wide with visibility for half a mile. It's also on an industrial estate where no-one has any business at that time of the morning (all closed) and is only used as a through road. And by driving on the opposite side of the road for 5 seconds it shortens my journey significantly and I can get home faster.

A camera caught me on the opposite side of the road on both nights. I had no idea this would be a real time problem since the roads were empty.
Not model citizen that always does everything Big Brother says, but making a sensible choice with the given information.
I was never stopped or even seen by anyone other than this camera. However the police got hold of it and I have two counts of careless driving because I did the same thing on two seperate nights.

There was even an ambulance doing the same thing on the same reel of film. However the magistrate ruled that the ambulance was fine because it was responding to a call and I wasn't.

Had I been caught by a policeman (eyes on ground) doing it I'm guessing he would have given me a stern "don't do it again" and thats the end of it. And I wouldn't have done it on the following night. Instead of being unaware that anything had pinged me at all.

The magistrate decided that it fell below the standard of which a "careful, competant and prudent driver would do" (criteria for careless driving) and had there been anyone there they wouldn't have expected a car traveling in the direction it was on that side. I direct your attention to the half mile visibility, industrial estate and time again.

Anyway, nothing I can do and I have to just chalk it down to experience. I would hate this to actual affect my work visa application since it's such a bloody stupid thing to stop me.

henryh

Don't worry, the facts won't get in the way of Ian's judgement.

meauxna

Just be properly remorseful and don't try the 'it's a stupid rule' or 'I had a good reason' and it probably won't be a big deal. Look/act like someone they want to give a visa to; it helps.