I know I'm resurrecting a mummified post here but this is exactly what I need answered. I was found guilty of but not convicted, obtaining property by deception X6 (I was a moronic 18 year old trying to impress "friends" who used me to get phones, working for a Telco at the time I put through phone plans under my name with the intention of not paying them).
As it was my first offence the magistrate did not record a conviction. My situation gets more complex as it then says I breached my CBO as I called in sick 3 times, (with a med cert) but my corrections officer who hated me (I'm not crying poor me, he literally hated me) didn't inform me that, calling in sick 3 times, med cert or not was grounds for a breach. So I was back before a magistrate who, along with the prosecuter said I should be given another chance and did not record a conviction and I did my CBO at a different corrections office, with better correctional officers.
So I do have some findings of guilt but no convictions. The latest court appearance (the breach) was in 2013, is it even worth applying for a VISA, now (no conviction, apply within 5 years) or, ever? I feel like my rap sheet looks so bad! I don't even think I would get approved in 10 or 20 years. Do people with more than 5 charges ever get approved? I'm in Victoria, where VICPol will disclose my findings of guilt even without conviction until 10 years have passed. So I won't have to dig up court records, though I do have them if needed.
I just travelled the UK and Europe without a problem as they aren't concerned with low ranking crimes but hearing about the US's stance on even the lowest of low crimes, I doubt I would get in. I've wanted nothing more in life than to see the USA, especially New York City. I see so many people going through on the ESTA with criminal records and I don't know how they even get on the plane, my anxiety would be through the roof!