Sailing with a Felon

[GorillaToast]

Originally Posted by bljones

If you have something even remotely shady in your past, even if it is 20 years old, it would bebeneficial to talk to a lawyer if you plan to enter American waters.

This is the only advice in this thread that I would follow, if I were in your friend's situation.

Bill
s/v Oddity

[Capt Phil]

bljones and rourkeh have it right. Friends who are arriving in the US from Australia in a few days were preceded in the line for long stay (up to 3 months) visas to the US by a woman who was told because she had a DUI in Australia 17 years before, she would have to provide the results of a liver function test to the US Consulate before they would issue her a visa. She told the Immigration Officer that she didn't want to visit the US that badly and to put the application where the sun doesn't shine in very graphic terms and walked out. My friends got their visa but it was a rather uncomfortable discussion with the Immigration Officer because the woman was literaly screaming so everyone in the office heard her. Best to be honest and informed on the requirements of each country you plan to visit... Capt Phil

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cherp

An old pot conviction would not have been a problem in Australia. Recent and major convictions for drug sales or violence would probably be considered by immigration. It's interesting that you refer to your friend as a "felon". In the US, it appears that his old pot conviction characterises him in that way. The word "felon" in Australia is old Engish and was used in the 1700s and 1800s to describe people convicted of crime -even petty crime. It's not used in Australia. The nearest is "criminal" but that appelation tends to be applied to people with a career on the wrong side of the law and who have been convicted on a series of serious crimes. Even then, it's mainly law enforcement agencies who use it. There are lots of people in Australia with old pot convictions. Nobody even thinks about it, let alone labels them for their conviction many years hence.

"Felony" is the traditional term for crimes which historically carried the death penalty. In other words, serious crimes. As distinguished from misdemeanours or administrative offenses.