Panicking SIL ESTA declined

[stink08]

as he was 17 that would be classed as a juvenile record, which i think you dont have to declare!

[luvaduck]

I would like to add my little story here just for advice. I am 52 and when I was 18 I was caught with 2 friends who were trying to steal a motorbike. We got caught and fined £50 each. Then when I was 23 I was working in a tool shop and pressured into selling tools cheap and got caught and received a suspended sentence. So these offences are now nearly over 30 years old. When I was 37 I went to Florida for the first time with my ex-wife and children and on the old green cards I ticked no to all questions as to me I was not imprisoned for anything like moral turpitude. I got in no problem but fast forward 5 years when, with my new partner we joined the Dibb and there were many stories of people being turned back at airports who had ticked no on the green forms so my partner suggested I go through the VISA route. So off I went to the Embassy and they said I had visited the US in 2003 illegally and I should have ticked the box as I was found guilty of a crime and therefore convicted. So in the eyes of the Embassy they see anybody found guilty as having to click yes on the ESTA and they need a VISA. I have now had 2x1 year, a 2 year and a 5 years VISA and I am going again to renew this in a couple of weeks. The downside is, as I have visited the US on the green form in 03 then my application has to go to the DHS for authorisation and although this has always been granted, it was delayed for 5 months for confirmation back on 13. I have been to the interview with people who have never been to the US and come clean and they have had their application approved on the day, left their passport and received it back within 2 weeks.