Georg

I've travelled to USA once before by the visa-waiver program, where answered
"no" to the question about beeing arrested/convicted, when I in fact had
been (but nothing serious).

Now I'm going back and need a Visa because I'm going on a one-way ticket
(gonna sail a boat back).

I need to answer if I have been in USA before (yes), and also if I've ever
had a Visa before (no).

If I this time answer "yes" on question about beeing arrested/convicted, and
they see that I have answered no about this before (since answering no on
the waiver), is this reason enough to not give me a Visa?

G

Ingo Pakleppa

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 18:15:38 +0200, Georg wrote:

    > I've travelled to USA once before by the visa-waiver program, where
    > answered "no" to the question about beeing arrested/convicted, when I in
    > fact had been (but nothing serious).
    >
    > Now I'm going back and need a Visa because I'm going on a one-way ticket
    > (gonna sail a boat back).
    >
    > I need to answer if I have been in USA before (yes), and also if I've
    > ever had a Visa before (no).
    >
    > If I this time answer "yes" on question about beeing arrested/convicted,
    > and they see that I have answered no about this before (since answering
    > no on the waiver), is this reason enough to not give me a Visa?

It could be - in theory. In practice, they probably won't even check the
old visa waiver application. It may actually be a good opportunity to set
the record straight. If you disclose it now, it's going to be very
difficult for anybody to later get you for lying on the visa waiver.

Do be sure to include documents about what the offense was and how it was
disposed. If it really is as small a matter as you indicate, it shouldn't
be a problem. You may want to post more details, though, just to be on the
safe side. Of interest is what the actual act was, what the charge was,
whether you were acquitted or not (it doesn't matter whether the record
was expunged, or what else may have happened. That would still count as a
conviction by US law), and what the maximum sentence could have been. US
law usually looks not at the actual sentence, but at the maximum possible
for the type of crime.

Georg

Found out it may be cheaper and less work to buy a return ticket as well,
using waver once more.

But what happens when i return in the boat and dont use my return ticket?
Will i never be registred as left from USA?



"Ingo Pakleppa" wrote in message
news[email protected]...
    > On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 18:15:38 +0200, Georg wrote:
    > > I've travelled to USA once before by the visa-waiver program, where
    > > answered "no" to the question about beeing arrested/convicted, when I in
    > > fact had been (but nothing serious).
    > >
    > > Now I'm going back and need a Visa because I'm going on a one-way ticket
    > > (gonna sail a boat back).
    > >
    > > I need to answer if I have been in USA before (yes), and also if I've
    > > ever had a Visa before (no).
    > >
    > > If I this time answer "yes" on question about beeing arrested/convicted,
    > > and they see that I have answered no about this before (since answering
    > > no on the waiver), is this reason enough to not give me a Visa?
    > It could be - in theory. In practice, they probably won't even check the
    > old visa waiver application. It may actually be a good opportunity to set
    > the record straight. If you disclose it now, it's going to be very
    > difficult for anybody to later get you for lying on the visa waiver.
    > Do be sure to include documents about what the offense was and how it was
    > disposed. If it really is as small a matter as you indicate, it shouldn't
    > be a problem. You may want to post more details, though, just to be on the
    > safe side. Of interest is what the actual act was, what the charge was,
    > whether you were acquitted or not (it doesn't matter whether the record
    > was expunged, or what else may have happened. That would still count as a
    > conviction by US law), and what the maximum sentence could have been. US
    > law usually looks not at the actual sentence, but at the maximum possible
    > for the type of crime.

S B

Georg wrote:
    >
    > Found out it may be cheaper and less work to buy a return ticket as well,
    > using waver once more.
    >
    > But what happens when i return in the boat and dont use my return ticket?
    > Will i never be registred as left from USA?

You need proof of your departure from the US. If you're sailing out of
a port, find a BCS (INS) port officer.

Ingo Pakleppa

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 22:45:10 +0000, S B wrote:

    > Georg wrote:
    >>
    >> Found out it may be cheaper and less work to buy a return ticket as
    >> well, using waver once more.
    >>
    >> But what happens when i return in the boat and dont use my return
    >> ticket? Will i never be registred as left from USA?
    >
    > You need proof of your departure from the US. If you're sailing out of
    > a port, find a BCS (INS) port officer.

If you are departing by ship, you surrender the I-94 to the shipping line,
the same way you would do it with airlines. Only if you cross a land
border do you surrender the I-94 to US or Canadian immigration officers.

Exception: if the ship goes to Canada or Mexico, you often have to
explicitly ask the shipping line to take the I-94.