Going on holiday have convictions

K

kingspoofer

Registered User
Messages
107
Hello,
When I was 18 I was involved in a fight and I got convicted for breach of the peace and drunk and disorderly. Me and my girlfriend are thinking about going on holiday to the USA this year will this affect me getting a holiday visa? Do the convictions last forever seeming it was 9 years ago and will i be left in for a holiday?
 
I'm not sure how it works but here's my two cents worth.

When you apply for a passport you have to get a Garda to sign the passport application form. By right you should 'know' this member of the Garda so he can vouch that you are a person of good character, if you have a criminal record or if he doesn't know you, he could refuse to sign it. Nowadays, most Garda will sign it whether they know you or not. To tell you the truth I'm not really clear about this. The best thing to do would be to ring the Citizens Information Phone Service. Lo Call 1890 777 121 or drop into your nearest office and ask them. http://findaddress.citizensinformation.ie/service_finder/
 
I have heard this discussed on Liveline and it seems that we are one of the few countries where a conviction is for ever on your record. Most countries remove minor convictions after a set number of years.
 
Your biggest issue is with the US. One of the questions they ask on the immigration forms is if you have criminal convictions. A call to the US Embassy will clarify if you have to apply for a visa or qualify for the regular exemption most Irish people get for holidays. If you have to apply for a visa do it asap as you'll have to go to the Embassy for an interview and it can take a few weeks to set this up.
 
For peace of mind and to get it sorted once and for all I would recommend making an appointment in the US embassy to ensure that all is in order to get a visa.
I spent a number of summers in America in the nineties and got stopped in Shannon last year as they claimed I overstayed on a particular year and they wanted to know why I had spent so much time there even though it was ten years earlier. I had to go to the Embassy to sort it out but at least I now know I can look forward to holidays in America.
 
If you are going to the US you now have to apply online for "Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)" it is a "free, automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the VWP. It collects the same information as the paper I-94W form that VWP travelers currently fill out en route to the United States. ESTA applications may be completed online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel."

When you apply for this it basically give you an automatic reply saying if you are eligable to travel on the visa waiver scheme. I would guess you wouldnt be allowed travel on the visa waiver scheme you'll have you could apply for an actual visa via the embassy....see details of esta
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top