Seamus Beoirgra

Hi

I posted here recently regarding entering the USA with a criminal record. Yesterday I had my appointment at the American Embassy in London which was a very interesting experience. As you may remember my offences were all related to protesting against fox-hunting and therefore I was worried that the 'political' nature of my crimes may cause me trouble due to the climate in America right now.

The following information are for those who wish to holiday or work in the USA and who wish to get a B-2 Nonimmigrant Visa.
For those who need to know (and who find the conflicting information confusing) this is the process:

- Firstly, walk into a police station and request a National Identification Service report on your police details. This costs about £20 and takes up to 40 days to come back. You need this document or you will not get your Visa.

- Call the Embassy and organise an appointment. State that you have a criminal record and that you need a 9am or 9.30am appointment (you will not be seen after this time). You will then be sent a pack of information.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...interview.html

- Included in this pack is a slip of paper that you need to bring to a Barclays Bank and you pay £60. The receipt needs to be brought to the Embassy. You cannot pay this money at the Embassy, it MUST be done before.

- Complete Form DS-156 Online and print it (attach a 2" x 2" photo which is NOT UK photo booth standard). On this form you will indicate that you have criminal convictions.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...lectronic.html

- Complete Form DS-157 and print. This is standard information you are providing and must be completed by males aged 16 - 45.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...add_males.html

- Print and complete by hand the Form VCU-1 which details all of your convictions. Copy information from the form you get from the Police.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...add_crime.html

You will need to bring a bunch of other stuff with you to the Embassy including your passport, proof of savings, proof that you are coming back to the country etc.
The website states that people with convictions should expect to wait at least 16 weeks for their Visa (if it is granted) and others have told me about waiting for up to a year.

I was waiting for 2 hours and then a very kind woman told me that my crimes were not serious and that I would receive my Visa within 5 working days!!!
I was very happy. The Visa lasts for 10 years unless I commit another crime, which is fantastic.
You then go and pay £9.50 to have the Visa delivered by courier (bring cash with you).

It is a long process but really it is not as bad as you may think. I wish someone could have given me this information in such a salient way 4 months ago. I hope this is useful for some people.

Cheers
Seamus

Ray

Your police report should have been £10 ..unless its gone up ..
When visiting the US ..best not to mention you are anti-hunt ..in certain areas you will find that opinion is not shared ..

Rushman

You protested against fox hunting and have decided to move to the country that hunts Deer, Elk, Bear, ducks, geese infact anything that hasn't got a social security number????

Are you planning on working when you get here or pissing off a few hunters and going back to the UK in a body bag?

Thydney

Both my wife and I have Criminal records hers is a Take That compilation and mine is a selection of Barron Knights singles. We got in ok though

dragonfly

I hope you are not moving to Pennsylvania as hunting is very popular here I would defintley keep my mouth shut as quoted by rushman you may return to the UK in a body bag :scared: :scared:

HunterGreen

*peeks around corner decked in cammo*

I hunt anti hunters, ya know.

(Just kidding, to each their own. Seamus, although I'm not in the situation to have use from your post, I appreciate you taking the time to recap it like this for others. )

Elaine

Elvira

You did?

Even though you do not know the difference between emesis and nemesis?

Wow!

Seamus Beoirgra

Yes, it has gone up to £20, or perhaps they were just ripping me off??
I am pretty relaxed about other people telling me things I don't agree with. I am sure most Americans are the same. It's not necessary for me to only talk about things for which others share the same opinion so that does not bother me so much. Having said that, I have no intention of bringing up the subject unless asked.

Every country hunts, I would need to buy my own Island if I wanted to be away from hunters. In fact, my next door neighbour is a hunter. I think that working would be a bad idea seeing that I am there on holiday, but thanks anyway.


I have a Wurzel's Record that I also failed to disclose.
Actually, most people with a criminal record go into the States without the correct Visa - they just tick the box saying that they haven't got a record and hope for the best. My fiancee is American and therefore it is not an option for me to be anything other than fully honest.

Not moving so much as visiting. As I said above I am not at all interested in discussing this subject with anyone but that is from a sense of not needing to, rather than from fear that a respected citizen of the USA would turn their gun on me based on my opinion.
I probably wouldn't bring up my belief in the rights for women to wear what they want and have sex outside marriage in Iran. But America is more liberated, right? And then there is the freedom of speech thing....

Cheers Elaine, I truly wish I had this information months ago. It was a full-time job for a week trying to find out about all of this.
And you wouldn't be the first hunter that attempted to hunt me

Thydney

Hello tripe hound is it Halloween again?

emesis was not found in the Cambridge Advanced Dictionary

Did you spell it correctly? Here are some alternatives:

emcees
encase
encased
encases
encasing
encyclopaedia
encyclopaedias
encyclopaedic
encyclopedia
encyclopedias
encyclopedic
engage
engaged
engagement
engagements
engages
engaging
enjoys
enmeshes
ensign
ensigns
ensues
eunuchs

but you do make me puke

Elvira

(sigh)

Alternative names:
Emesis; Vomiting; Stomach upset; Upset stomach

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003117.htm

If I could be 4r$ed I'd start a collection in the Lounge, so you could buy yourself a more comprehensive dictionary. The shorter version clearly isn't sufficient for your good self.

Thydney

read the bottom line, muppet

Rushman

"OPERA - opium of the discerning!"
"Opry, opiate of the Rednecks"


Which one of these quotes is grammatically correct, or are both?

Answers on a postcard to:
Shit stirring bastard
c/o BE
The Internet

Thydney

Ask our legend in her own mind apparently she's quite clever but sometime her brains go to her head.

Elvira

See my previous comment on the above, love

Rete

Thanks for the good information. Can I persuade you to repost it on the US immigration forum. There are always questions there regarding how to get a visa if you a criminal record. Many of the posters are from the UK and this would be helpful to them.

Rete