I am American and will be beginning my UK immigration application via the Surinder Singh route this year. My husband is English, and we've lived in Italy for nearly 5 years.
My question is in regards to a misdemeanor shoplifting arrest on my record, from 1999, when I was 17 years old. I imagine I will have to declare this arrest on my application, as I do know it can be found with an FBI search. (I worked in finance and the arrest did come up in a mandatory FBI background check necessary before hiring). It doesn't appear in an ordinary background check, but when the FBI look, it rears its ugly head.
There is nothing else to be found on my record, even as much as a speeding ticket.When I declare this on my application, will I have to provide supporting documentation to go along with it? Because this arrest happened 15 years ago, I no longer have any of the paperwork. I don't even remember the exact date, only the month and that I was a high school senior. Of course, living in Italy, it is not a simple matter of going to the court house to request a copy of my old records. I have already contacted the police station to attempt to obtain the date of the arrest, but because my old "indiscretion" happened before the time of electronic records, they don't even have the records anymore. They were paper records and as they were for a misdemeanor, I am told they were thrown away years ago.
I guess my question is two-fold. Being that the arrest is so old, and definitely considered "spent", am I correct that I will still have to declare it? And second, what kind of documentation is required when an old arrest is declared?
Anyone who has been down this road, or knows someone that has…I appreciate your input!!
Thanks!