C/D 1 Visas..

[Unregistered]

I've been offered a cadetship with a company and told I need to obtain a visa. As a foolish reprobate I received at the same time 2 cautions for class a and c drugs in april 2008. I'll save the wrong place wrong time crap for the interview in london but how likely/unlikely am I going to get said visa.
I'm bricking it as I really want this and need to know whether to come to terms with the fact I'll lose my sponsorship offer if I cant get a visa.
Needless to say I no longer dabble in such substances. Any comments, suggestions or experience would be warmly received.

[Laser]

Did a bit of searching and found this on about.com from and extract from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

No visa or other documentation shall be issued to an alien if (1) it appears to the consular officer, from statements in the application, or in the papers submitted therewith, that such alien is ineligible to receive a visa or such other documentation under section 212, or any other provision of law, (2) the application fails to comply with the provisions of this Act, or the regulations issued thereunder.
(II) a violation of (or a conspiracy or attempt to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)), is inadmissible.

Web here

[GuinnessMan]

.......................

[CharlieDelta]

Now now GM, let's be nice!

We have had this topic before so a search might be useful for the OP, but we get much more repetitive questions elsewhere.

To the OP: make sure you've disclosed the information to your company if they have asked for it at any stage (typically on application forms, but may only request convictions and not cautions) as you may otherwise run into problems down the line.

[Unregistered]

Would they ever know....

I see that you have already received some informative answers, one of the areas not previously covered in threats is the old question of would they "the Yanks!" find out if you forgot to make mention on your appplication of any previous police involvement.......

[Mariner]

Sorry if this has already been spoken about but to save you the time in looking, imho you dont stand a chance of obtaining a Visa unfortunately.
I travelled down within the last year and it was a waste of time and money. My convictions were not drugs either which from my research they take a very dim veiw of.
That doesnt mean to say you shouldnt try for a cadetship though. Youve just got to decide whether you tell them you have a conviction or not. I'd take the latter. A lad who started in the same week as me was finished after afew days after theyd out about a drugs conviction.
Its a tricky one but imo if you have nothing to lose i'd carry on with your application and think about the visa problems after.
The company you go with is crucial. I understand alot of Maersk ships dont go to the US for example. I expect you'll still require a visa.

[Faust]

All Maersk cadets require a US Visa before they even start college.

[Unregistered]

they were cautions, not convictions. and I don't have to have it before I start but will at some point for my sea phases, don't want to just delay the inevitable..
thanks for the help!

[captainronburgundy]

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=619663

[Steve]

I am missing something about the whole process. How does a foreign government know whether you have been arrested/cautioned/convicted?

[chris]

are you suggesting you lie on the visa application form....

[Steve]

Not yet, and whether it might be a very bad idea depends a great deal on whether the US government has easy and routine access to UK criminal record information.

[chris]

well if you believe any of the Spooks TV show, they have a direct connection to the police database.

[Steve]

A fictional television show is only slightly more reliable as a source than an Internet forum.

If they have access for immigration purposes it must be documented.

[GuinnessMan]

The US government having access to a British police database (which if rumours i've heard are true, doesn't work at the best of times)? I doubt it...