VISA Waiver Program to USA

[mydogsteelo]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

I had my interview late February and just received my visa back last week and for the first time it was a 5 year! I have asked on the previous to interviews to be given a 5 year but always received a 1 year, this time i was sent a email about a week before my visa arrived asking for and additional $25 (annoying because they only accept bank cheque or post office money order) and now i don't have to return 2018

 

[aussie89]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

anyone have any idea if 'installing an optical surveillance device' (my mobile phone apparently) would come under moral turpitude? i found a case that happened in the USA last year (Ravi Rutgers) where he used a webcam to spy on someone and could be deported if it was classified as a CMT but he didnt get deported. the embassy dont even know and just put the application on hold until i get an adjudication from the court. the only thing is my court date is a month before im due to leave... any ideas?

 

[flymetothemoon]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

anyone have any idea if 'installing an optical surveillance device' (my mobile phone apparently) would come under moral turpitude? i found a case that happened in the USA last year (Ravi Rutgers) where he used a webcam to spy on someone and could be deported if it was classified as a CMT but he didnt get deported. the embassy dont even know and just put the application on hold until i get an adjudication from the court. the only thing is my court date is a month before im due to leave... any ideas?

You would really have to wait to see the outcome of your court case I'm afraid. You probably shouldn't have booked tickets until your court case is finalised. What application did you put on hold?

 

[aussie89]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

i had already booked the tickets before the allegations were even made. the application for Visa was put on hold. section 221(g) letter was issued stating they needed further documents (final adjudication) before they would make a decision.

 

[flymetothemoon]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

i had already booked the tickets before the allegations were even made. the application for Visa was put on hold. section 221(g) letter was issued stating they needed further documents (final adjudication) before they would make a decision.

Because you have already admitted to the embassy of an offence, whether you get a conviction or not will not matter. You will still have to apply for a visa.

 

[aussie89]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

but the offence has to be classified under moral turpitude to impact the visa situation. thats the query im asking, if its likely to be classified under moral turpitude.

 

[Flashback]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

but the offence has to be classified under moral turpitude to impact the visa situation. thats the query im asking, if its likely to be classified under moral turpitude.

Doesn't matter, the question asks if you've ever been arrested - in this case, you have. It then goes further to say if arrested was it under mortal turpitude, but my reading between the lines is that if you've been arrested at all even if MT or not, then you need to apply for a visa. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong though.

 

[aussie89]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

Have you ever been arrested or convicted for an offense or crime involving moral turpitude or a violation related to a controlled substance; or have been arrested or convicted for two or more offenses for which the aggregate sentence to confinement was five years or more; or have been a controlled substance trafficker; or are you seeking entry to engage in criminal or immoral activities? copied straight from the ESTA website. thats what im saying... if the issue is defined as not being under moral turpitude, then i should be free to travel, no matter the court decision. by the way the controlled substance and 2 or more offenses with aggregate of 5yrs or more etc is not applicable to me.

 

[flymetothemoon]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

but the offence has to be classified under moral turpitude to impact the visa situation. thats the query im asking, if its likely to be classified under moral turpitude.

The best thing to do would be to either a) contact a immigration lawyer and ask them if it comes under MT or b) Speak to the US embassy and ask them! I would suggest doing b) as they would know 100%. You will need to find out one way or another considering the embassy already know about your case.

 

[~Bella~]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

I had my interview late February and just received my visa back last week and for the first time it was a 5 year! I have asked on the previous to interviews to be given a 5 year but always received a 1 year, this time i was sent a email about a week before my visa arrived asking for and additional $25 (annoying because they only accept bank cheque or post office money order) and now i don't have to return 2018

Anyone had experience w/ applying (and subsequently being approved for..) a visa waiver, but them not withholding your passport for the 6 month wait/duration?

A friend of mine also recently applied, and was approved - though they withheld her passport.

I travelled to Sydney in January for my appointment, but they didn't withhold my passport. The crime in question was 9 years ago, and it all seemed to go OK (the appt), but the fact they gave me my passport back does not instilll an awful lot of hope.

Experiences?

 

[mydogsteelo]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

they told me that i could take my passport with me if i expected to need it within the next couple of months and when they required it they would get me to send it to them.

 

[~Bella~]

Re: USA Visa Waiver approved - but just charged with a crime after

they told me that i could take my passport with me if i expected to need it within the next couple of months and when they required it they would get me to send it to them.

ETA: Oh, your visa was approved!

Great news.

So it seems there's no sure fire way to know whether this has any impact.

 

[~Bella~]

Just thought I would add something else in here for anyone who is going through the same (lengthy, annoying...) process. Mine is only in the beginning stages so I'm not too worried, but those who have been waiting 20 weeks or so might find this useful. Copied and pasted from my other reply:

I have a friend who has recently been approved her visa waiver (after a 25 week wait). When she enquired as to the status of her visa (after a certain period), they provided her with a link to input her case/application number. When inputting your case number, it brings up whether you were A) approved, or B) refused. However, when her application status changed, it was noted on there (when she checked in from time to time).

Interesting thing to note is it appears they don't even LOOK AT your application until the 22-23 week mark. The whole process from when they updated her application status from 'Refused' (as mine is currently showing now) to the visa being issued in her passport and sent to her only took a week or so.

There were 0 updates prior to this. Now, you would think, if the process genuinely took 26 weeks there would be multiple reasons for this, and those reasons (updates?) would be reflected, no?

 

[Foreigner]

Just a thought...Guam being a US territory, would visitors need visa (or for australians, need to apply for visa exemption)?

 

[get me outta here]

My current ESTA expires just before my next trip to the US. To get a new one, do I start all over again, or id there maybe a button that charges me a new fee for renewal with out all the need for data input?

 

[get me outta here]

My current ESTA expires just before my next trip to the US. To get a new one, do I start all over again, or id there maybe a button that charges me a new fee for renewal with out all the need for data input?

Update: apparently the answer is NO. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1197/kw/esta/p/0/c/0

 

[petunia]

My query sounds a bit lame after reading all the previous posts with the problems of previous convictions etc. Will be our first time visit to USA shortly with my husband, en route to Canada via Chicago. I have applied and received the ESTA, however I ticked "In Transit" box, and technically we won't be in transit as will be in Chicago for three days before flying to Toronto. I did enter the address of our Chicago hotel. I was a bit confused as to what constitutes "in transit". Does this matter? Should I reapply? I'm assuming the main purpose of the ESTA is to see if any alarm bells ring when our details are punched into the system, and not to do with how accurate my initial travel information is. We will be crossing the USA border several times in our travels across Canada.
I am being a bit paranoid, but don't want anything to upset our holiday of a lifetime (Oneworld Award - thank you AFF for all your help).:?:

 

[N860CR]

My query sounds a bit lame after reading all the previous posts with the problems of previous convictions etc. Will be our first time visit to USA shortly with my husband, en route to Canada via Chicago. I have applied and received the ESTA, however I ticked "In Transit" box, and technically we won't be in transit as will be in Chicago for three days before flying to Toronto. I did enter the address of our Chicago hotel. I was a bit confused as to what constitutes "in transit". Does this matter? Should I reapply? I'm assuming the main purpose of the ESTA is to see if any alarm bells ring when our details are punched into the system, and not to do with how accurate my initial travel information is. We will be crossing the USA border several times in our travels across Canada.
I am being a bit paranoid, but don't want anything to upset our holiday of a lifetime (Oneworld Award - thank you AFF for all your help).:?:

As long as you've been approved for the esta, you're good to go.

The actual "first night" address etc doesn't mean anything (and I honestly don't know why they even bother). Mine has said Caesars Palace for about 18 months now (and I've entered 5 times since with no intention of going to Vegas)

 

[petunia]

That's reassuring, thanks.

 

[Foreigner]

When the visa waiver authorisation is about to expire, alert by email comes through:

ATTENTION! The travel authorization submitted on July 2, 2013 via ESTA will expire within the next 30 days. It is not possible to extend or renew a current ESTA travel authorization. You will need to apply for a new ESTA travel authorization. Please reapply at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov if travel to the United States is intended in the near future. If there are 30 or more days left on the old authorization you will receive a warning message during the application and be asked if you wish to proceed.

E-mail Security: If you are concerned about clicking the above link, ESTA can be accessed by typing https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov in the address bar of your browser.