Urgent help! Please help!

[onetap]

Hey guys,

So as it turns out i need some information about the ESTA

I've applied and been accepted however a couple of weeks ago i was arrested for a traffic offence.
I will have court next week where i will plead guilty and received a measly 500 dollar fine.

NOW...

my question is, will this void my ESTA? it doesn't mention anything about traffic convictions when applying online.

i would also like to note that i have a clean record, no other convictions.

will my ESTA be forfeit?

[wavedom]

When you fill out the ESTA form it asks you if you ever have “been arrested or convicted for an offence or crime involving moral turpitude…”. The way I read it is that you’ll be fine as long as your traffic offence isn’t considered to involve moral turpitude. The Department of State has defined moral turpitude (link below), but it doesn’t mention anything about traffic violations. It only states that drunk or reckless driving normally isn’t considered as moral turpitude. A certain site that start with "Wiki" and ends with "pedia" has an article about moral turpitude (the administrators on this forum can't handle competition so they erase links if I type the full name), which states that minor traffic violations are not considered as moral turpitude, but I guess that there’s no clear definition of what “minor” means in this context.

Edit: There we go - freedom of speech has struck again. The link has been censored. Try to google "state.gov pdf 86942". It should be the first hit.

[onetap]

When you fill out the ESTA form it asks you if you ever have “been arrested or convicted for an offence or crime involving moral turpitude…”. The way I read it is that you’ll be fine as long as your traffic offence isn’t considered to involve moral turpitude. The Department of State has defined moral turpitude (link below), but it doesn’t mention anything about traffic violations. It only states that drunk or reckless driving normally isn’t considered as moral turpitude. A certain site that start with "Wiki" and ends with "pedia" has an article about moral turpitude (the administrators on this forum can't handle competition so they erase links if I type the full name), which states that minor traffic violations are not considered as moral turpitude, but I guess that there’s no clear definition of what “minor” means in this context.

Edit: There we go - freedom of speech has struck again. The link has been censored. Try to google "state.gov pdf 86942". It should be the first hit.

Yeah that's exactly what i was thinking however when i phoned up and spoke to someone in India, they really didnt help. they said because ive been arrested/had a conviction i am no longer able to get a ESTA however kept changing the story.

I might add i havnt actually been convicted yet, not until a couple of days before i leave actually.

[cafeconleche]

What do you mean you were arrested for a traffic offence? What did you do? If it was something like a DUI, it might be an issue. But, since you already have an approved ESTA, it shouldn't be a problem until you need to renew it.

[onetap]

What do you mean you were arrested for a traffic offence? What did you do? If it was something like a DUI, it might be an issue. But, since you already have an approved ESTA, it shouldn't be a problem until you need to renew it.

The charge here in New Zealand is: "Unnecessary exhibition of Speed or Acceleration".
It basically means i have to attend court and pay a fine. nothing major, even gets cleared after 7 years.

I just rang and finally found a hole through the loops of the never-ending auto-responses and spoke to a borderland security officer which informed me that it wouldnt be an issue.