Getting Tourist Visa With Criminal Record?

[MattUK]

I've been reading up on the visa situation for Thailand and think I'm right in saying that you can enter for 30 days there and then with a UK passport.

My problem is that I have a criminal record and got 12 months for ABH in 2004. I've been looking at going to other places like USA and that has been a big problem for getting a visa. Does the fact that you can get the visa there means there are no criminal record checks and I wouldn't have any problems on that score?

[A_Traveller]

The visa waiver scheme {not visa on arrival} provides for a citizen of specific countries {including the UK}to enter the kingdom for tourism for 30 days maximum. Unless for some reason you are flagged on the international system, which is unlikely given your stated position, you would be able to enter under teh visa waiver scheme.

To be clear you do not get a visa you get a stamp in your passport which permits you to enter for a maximum of 30 days, for a vacation.

Regards

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I've been reading up on the visa situation for Thailand and think I'm right in saying that you can enter for 30 days there and then with a UK passport.

My problem is that I have a criminal record and got 12 months for ABH in 2004. I've been looking at going to other places like USA and that has been a big problem for getting a visa. Does the fact that you can get the visa there means there are no criminal record checks and I wouldn't have any problems on that score?

You'll be OK for Thailand, but the US of A is something else.

[visarunner]

You will have no problem to enter Thailand,30days on a visa waiver stamp or you can even apply for a Tourist Visa (60days) in UK.

If you look for employment as a teacher it might be a different story as they need a police clearance certificate.

[jumnien]

If it were difficult to acquire a visa with a criminal record the Eastern Seaboard would be known primarily for its industrial estates.

[Big A]

I have a criminal record and got 12 months for ABH

Please, Matt. Get a taxi rip off merchant and then do yer stuff!!

[garro]

If it were difficult to acquire a visa with a criminal record the Eastern Seaboard would be known primarily for its industrial estates.

[MattUK]

So it's a stamp on the passport instead of a visa.

That's good to hear. Surprised but pleased it seems no problem compared to some of the problems there are looking at other places. I wouldn't be on any list - all that's in the past for me now. Great what having a girlfriend can do to you!

I have a criminal record and got 12 months for ABH

Please, Matt. Get a taxi rip off merchant and then do yer stuff!!

Hey taxi drivers seem to be the same everywhere! Might be tempted but I know that Thai prisons are pretty tough so I would be on my best behaviour!

[deejah]

pardon my ignorance

what is ABH please?

[cubes2]

pardon my ignorance

what is ABH please?

Actual Bodily Harm.

Thats in the uk.

[taxexile]

Actual Bodily Harm (often abbreviated to ABH) is a type of criminal assault defined under English law. It encompasses those assaults which result in injuries, typically requiring a degree of medical treatment. There is a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment (or 7 years if it is racially motivated).

The offence

In English law, there is a range of non-fatal offences of varying degrees of severity beginning with 'common assault' (the least serious), 'assault occasioning actual bodily harm' (ABH), and the most serious assaults resulting in grievous bodily harm' (GBH).

Assault

For there to be an assault, the victim must either "apprehend" the application of physical force, i.e. anticipate that a battery is about to occur, or experience a battery without warning.

Bodily harm

The Crown Prosecution Service states that "bodily harm has its ordinary meaning and includes any hurt calculated to interfere with the health or comfort of the victim: such hurt need not be permanent, but must be more than transient and trifling". Examples of injures that would be considered ABH include:

Loss or breaking of teeth;

Temporary loss of sensory function, including loss of consciousness;

Extensive or multiple bruising;

Displaced broken nose;

Minor fractures of bones;

Minor cuts requiring medical treatment.

Causing any of these injuries would constitute the "actus reus" (Latin for the "guilty act") of ABH.

Grazes, minor bruising, swelling, superficial cuts or a black eye would probably be regarded as common assault.

cut and pasted from wikipedia.

[MattUK]

Yeah that's it. As I said i'm a changed man now.

[greenwood0311]

Matt, the only time that you will probably get a problem is you try and apply for a proper visa to stay say 90 days before you leave. I had a look at the one you apply for from Australia and you needed to get a police clearance.

From Australia the normal tourist stamp that we get on entry gives us 60 days, and then you have the option to stay for another 30days and costs about 1900baht to extend.

At present I do not think that you can stay any longer then 90 days on a Tourist stamp. I think that you can stay 90 days, leave the country for 90 days and then you can return for upto another 90 days and then leave again.

Best thing to do is look at the application forms at the Thai Consulate UK website and read what they ask for before you apply.

You may find that you can now get upto 60 days on your arrival stamp so will be no real need to apply for a visa.

Also have heard from some expats in Thailand that the Hull office is the best and quickest to get Visa's organised, if you decided to go that way.

Also on your arrival card they do not ask if you have a criminal record like they do in the States.

Hope that helps

[deminister]

I would not worry one bit. Have a look in Pattaya, it is full of real trash. Besides as long as the Thai immigration do only ban passport numbers when a crime is committed in their own country and people simply swap a passport and re-enter and as long as dictators are in power European countries at least (but not Australia) will never ever fit the Thai embassies with information. (and why should they, if you have served your sentence)

[Ijustwannateach]

I'm going to prune a couple of posts and issue a couple of warnings. May I suggest that various parties avoid flaming on this thread?