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I have been filling in the UK visitor visa application online, and there is a section under convictions and other penalties:

A. Penalty for driving offences, e. g., disqualification for speeding or no insurance

Last year, in Australia, I received fine for not stopping at a red light, caught on a traffic camera, and incurred 3 demerit points on my driving record.

Do I need to declare that under this section? It never went to court. I received the notice of the fine by mail, and paid it in full.

I have checked with the Australian authorities who confirmed that I do not have a criminal record for this; it is only recorded on my driving licence.

Is it something that is expected to be declared on the visitor application form?

I wouldn't mind disclosing it, as it is a common traffic offence and a lot of people have the same on their licence. I am worried that it might be a reason to be refused a visa.

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    The questions exact wording says Have you ever been charged in any country with a criminal offence for which you have not yet been tried in court (including traffic offences)? To be perfectly honest you have to disclose it. Personally would I disclose it? NO!
    – Augustine of Hippo
    Commented Mar 10, 2017 at 22:36
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    I just had to tell Australia about a $30 fine I got when I was 14 years old. I had to tell the UK about it too. Yes, you are obliged to, and it's awful.
    – la femme cosmique
    Commented Mar 10, 2017 at 23:50
  • @lafemmecosmique what was the fine for?
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 1:13
  • I ran from a police officer with a bunch of friends. He was angry and got us all on disorderly conduct. fifteen years ago! $30! and because of this I can't use the ePassport gates...
    – la femme cosmique
    Commented Mar 12, 2017 at 6:45

1 Answer 1

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If you read the guidance, you will see that question 6.9 asks about "any criminal offence (including driving offences) in the UK or any other country, at any time?" while question 6.11 asks "Have you been subject to, or received, any other penalty by a court or the police; for example caution, discharge, fine or community sentence in the UK or any other country?"

It seems clear that the answer to at least one these must be yes, and there is no exclusion for common traffic offences (on the contrary, they are specifically included). It is either a criminal offence or a "other penalty" and must be disclosed on your application.

You don't know whether the UK authorities will be able to find out about this matter, but it's clear that they take even trivial omissions extremely seriously. Failure to disclose it will hurt your credibility and could lead not just to refusal now, but difficulty with future applications, even a 10-year ban for deception in the extreme case.

As you note, it is a common traffic offence and rather unlikely to be cause for refusal. Failure to disclose it, when the form clearly requests that you do so, is cause for much worse. I would disclose.

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    So a parking ticket is technically included as well? Those are given out by the police. Half the world's population gotten one at least once in their lifetime.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 1:28
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    @JonathanReez Well, ever wondered why the UK is so difficult to visit? :P
    – Crazydre
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 2:31
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    At least where I am, parking tickets aren't actually given out by the police and don't go through the courts, so you arguably wouldn't have to disclose them (they also don't go into any kind of database besides the city's parking ticket database, so nobody is going to find out anyway). The same would apply to library fines.
    – Zach Lipton
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 5:18
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    @JonathanReez That depends on wheter a parking ticket is considered criminal in the jurisdication it was issued. In the UK, for example, while traffic offences (eg. speeding, red light running) is criminal, parking offences are not.
    – CMaster
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 20:58

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