Visiting US with privious criminal offence on reccord in US

padraigmyers

Wasn't too sure where to put this so I put it here, admins, feel free to move it to somewhere more appropriate.
OK, here's the problwm. Me, and 4 of my mates are heading over to Austrailia for a year, heading over by Asia and coming back by the US. However one of that lads got into hassle with the cops in the US while he was there on his J1 5 years ago. In a drunken incident he tried to steal somthing from a pub and got caught. The cops at the time told him that they would give him a city ordinance and not a proper conviction so that he would not have hassle getting into the country again.
Now, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, and laws may have changed. He was just wondering, does anyone know if a state ordinance for "Theft of items under $500" is enough for imagration to turn him away, considering we will only be over there for about 3 weeks so its only a holiday visit. He has had a look around but there doesn't seam to be an easy way to get this info. Does anyone know whats the story with this or know where an answer can be found.
Thanks.

Nemici

Interesting problem, considering all the stuff thats gone on around the US in the last few years I wouldnt be suprised if they did turn him away,

however that kind of thing might not be on file for that long, (Did the cops officially charge him etc ??)

I had a similar problem regarding breaking of a lease and was asked to go to court, my mate went down and explained that I left the country and they sort of gave up on the whole thing, got in no problem a few times after that.

I would say chance it. worst case is an early plane home
(or a full body cavity search from a bad ass cop with a penchant for irish boys)

sceptre

Why not phone the embassy (not giving his details obviously) and ask? Get a definitive "no" and there'll be no need for him to look over his shoulder or make sure he shaves his face that morning.