I asked for a police certificate from ACRO, and while completing the request form, there is this question (which embassy are you applying for a visa at ?) does it mean that ACRO have alerted US embassy about my case ? please help, I had a caution for shoplifting 2 years ago, I was a student back then depressed and hopeless, but today I need to go to the US for a business trip, I am still not sure I wanna disclose my CR to the US embassy on the DS160 form  because chances are they won't grant me a VISA, and the fact that I asked for Police certificate worries me a lot.. I am worried US embassy already know about my CR from ACRO.

please note: I am not a UK citizen, so I have to apply for a visa anyway. 

Hi Dani

At this stage, ACRO won't have alerted the US authorities about your caution, but you should be aware that your police certificate will disclose your caution and it is something that you will be asked about at your interview with the embassy.  

The embassy will take certain important factors into consideration such as the seriousness of the crime (your's was very minor), the severity of the punishment (again you only received a caution), other criminal activity and how much time has elapsed between the time the offence was committed and the visa application. You will need to persuade the interviewing officer that you are an upstanding member of society who would not engage in any criminal activity within the US.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes

Debs 

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Hi Debbie, 

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my questions.. this helps fore sure. to answer your questions, I had first a penalty notice then later after 3 months a caution both for shoplifting, it was 2 years ago only, and nothing else since then. You know I was hopeless and feeling worthless back then, I was under heavy medication (for depression and anxiety) I thought my depression would end up killing me or at best I would end up in psychiatric hospital, I had to delay my dissertation and assignment submissions many times because of my depression, I had letters from my doctors for that. I never thought one day I would manage to succeed and get my masters degree, get a job and be appreciated to a point where my employer want to invest in me and send me for a training in the US. Do you think I should disclose my penalty notice even if it doesn't show on my police certificate ? would this aggravate my situation? and do you think I should talk about my depression and show my doctors letters?  Today I am off medication and doing fine.  

Hi Dani

I wouldn't disclose anything that I didn't have to so I probably wouldn't mentioned the fixed penalty notice.

When you're at your interview you want to be able to give the officer a good understanding of why you committed the offence that you did. The fact that you were quite unwell  at the time and on heavy medication puts what you did into context and will certainly help to better explain your actions. Take your doctors letters along with you just in case the officer at the embassy wants to see them but I wouldn't voluntarily hand them over. Make a point of explaining that you sought help for your depression and that you are no longer on medication and doing well.

It would be really harsh if you were refused a visa based on the information that you've given. Just be really honest (however hard it will be) and you should be fine.

Wishing you the very best of luck and congratulations on doing so well in your career.

Let us know how you get on.

Debs 




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Hi Debbie, thank you so much for your answers.. you are saying I don't need to disclose my penalty notice !! I forgot to mention that the US embassy in my country do not ask for police certificate from visa applicants, it's me volunteering and disclosing my CR, of a caution for shoplifting in the UK, in order to answer their question "have you ever been arrested or convicted...". I mean what if they find out about my penalty notice ? thanks in advance for your responce 

Hi Debi - how did all of this work out for you ?? It’s been a while but pls share an update. Thank you and hope to hear from you