and have acted in good faith and didn't know this would be an issue, would you have to pay your fare back have you got any redress against their govt there or against insurance co because of the cost of the lost holiday and additional flight home?

I've just always assumed UK will share info with USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand so won't take the risk of going on holiday at a cost of several grand and then likley not to be able to recover it if you're sent back, besides which I probably wouldn't get a visa anyway if I was open and honest with them - see https://hub.unlock.org.uk/section/travel/specific-countries/ - and I wouldn't be anything else. Plus there's the point that a visa doesn't entitle you to enter a country, the immigration control can still refuse you.

Having re-read all the stuff in the hub link I feel a bit more confident about Australia and Canada as you can get some sort of confirmation of entry before travelling.

New Zealand seems a bit more problematic as it seems there's an absolute visa waiver for UK citizens so no option to apply for a visa or any advance official 'ok' which leaves it open for them to turn you back if they have info from UK when you arrive and apply for a visitor visa through completing the passenger arrival card though this only flags up a Q if you've been imprisoned for 12 mths or more www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/enter/personal/passenger-arrival-card/english.pdf

Post Edited (forever changes) : 10/06/2014 22:32:48 (GMT+2)

Long story Stuart... The forum went in circles for a long time trying to accommodate for everyone, in short it didn't work and the fallout was huge, judgement day occured and the decision was made!

You could try talking with the nearest wall, as you won't have any more luck with anyone else... GCHQ, CIA, NSA etc, are all above reproach... The likes of Edward Snowden opened the public's eyes - just imagine what's going on behind the scenes!

Did you have to declare anything with Canada? Heard a lot of mixed messages about travelling there with convictions :-s

Hi Stuart... Under forum rules you can't discuss "certain topics"

I doubt any insurance would pay out as its not there fault, you were denied entry, they would probably just void the policy because you didn't declare material facts etc.

Out of curiosity Stuart how many countries outside Europe have you been to since conviction without incident?

Why are we not allowed to discuss 'certain topics'? Seems a bit odd to me to 'discriminate' against certain convictions in that way. Anyway, I travel regularly for work and have been to many countries since conviction including China, USA, Canada and Mexico (in 2012).

I travelled to the USA using ESTA quite a few times before suddenly having it revoked without reason. My guess is they learned of conviction and classed it as 'moral turpitude'. Not sure how they learned of it suddenly but then again, who knows how the USA gather intelligence! I applied for a visa a few months back and was denied. I've since been working with a US immigration attorney who has helped me prepare for my upcoming interview in a few weeks time. According to her, my conviction actually doesn't fall under the MT category and I have submitted a legal argument to that point ahead of the interview on the application form. I'm keeping fingers crossed it works out as I need to have this resolved in order for me to do my job.

Is anyone able to suggest someone I could speak to in the UK to discuss the USA potentially sharing UK criminal record information with other countries once they've learned of it? In my opinion, it's not their information to share. I'm sure it's a legal minefield but I feel I should be able to speak to an official here about it.

I guess you're asking in follow up to the thread I created which was, for some reason deleted. Not sure I know why it was although I'm sure someone will elaborate.

During my very recent experience being refused entry In Mexico, I was sent back on the same plane which I arrived on. The cost of the flight was covered as the airline simply changed my return leg to that flight. The hotel was, fortunately paid for using frequent stay points as I travel quite a bit for work. My other half couldn't come back with me so stayed a night at the hotel and I managed to arrange a return flight for him the following day - this was at my cost. He could have stayed the week but this whole situation kind of ruined it for him too.

If you had booked a package holiday or paid for a hotel upfront for example, I doubt you'd be able to claim that back. I'm not sure if insurance would help out in this situation or not. My guess would be not but I imagine this will come down to each individual policy.

Nope nothing for Canada. The forms are all customs related. Nothing about convictions. Will be going again later this year too so fingers crossed the US don't take it upon themselves to share information which isn't there's to share with Canada!

Interesting about unlock deciding to make certain convictions and related discussions off limits giving their primary intentions as a website. Hmmm.

Hey there. I successfully immigrated to Australia with a UK record (2yr prison sentence, Kidnapping related charge). I used a Australian Immigration lawyer (he was excellent, first to review my case and then prepare my application. It took over a year to eventually get approved (first attempt). This is even with my partner being Australian. We had to get all sorts of letters from her family to vouch for me and obviously had to be 100% honest about my intentions for coming to Australia. What I 'm saying is that you can get in here but it does need a good lawyer, some cash (cost me about GBP 2000.-) and a fair degree of honesty. The lawyer will tell you if you can get in or not. Anyway, that was my 2 cents worth. Good luck out there and remember there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I will try NZ + Australia without saying anything in the future.

I've been to both the USA + Canada before so they already have me on file and probably know about conviction.