Cycling on footpath, is it a criminal conviction?

Question

Hi, i am extending my student UK visa. there is a question: "Do you have any criminal convictions in any country (including traffic offences)?

In October 2007, I received a fixed penalty notice that I had to pay an one-off fine 30 pounds because of cycling of footpath and I paid that. Do I have to tick "yes" to that question? Thank you very much

Answer 1

NO! Misdemeanour that's all it was.You were not convicted in court,no fingerprints-no record.

Answer 2

No you do not have any criminal convictions unless you were taken before a court and a sentence or a judjement was handed down. What you have is a traffic offence  payable by fine. You ar not required to tick any boxes in the affirmative regarding criminal convictions.

You are not required to send any documentation at all in reference to this matter, just tick the box which says "NO" you do not have a criminal conviction. The traffic offence would mean if you have been found guilty by a court of a serious traffic offence. A fine of £30 pounds being a fixed  penalty notice is not a criminal offence. Unless you contested it and it went to court and the case were heard by a judge who decided to convict you of something more serious.

Answer 3

Cycling inconsiderately or irresponsibly on public footpaths is a criminal offence.

However I dont think fines count as convictions!  

Answer 4

yes it is a conviction, however it is so trivial I think more damage would be done by hiding it then admitting it. If you are found out to have lied then your integrity and honesty is in question which may jeopardise your visa.  

Answer 5

this site might help you, depending a bit what sort of footpath you were cycling on http://www.bikeforall.net/content/cyclin...

I would say NO you don't have to tick the box as it was a fixed penalty, you didn't get arrested or have your fingerprints taken, or appear in court.

Answer 6

A fixed penalty notice counts as a conviction in UK (assuming you paid it which counts as a guilty plea) and it is a traffic offence so , yes, you should admit it. However, I wouldn't worry too much as on the scale of criminality it's about as low as you can get. There are many other visitors to this country with much worse backgrounds who are given visas.

If you don't admit it and by some miracle the authorities find out about it, you will be deported as lying on an application is a much more serious offence. I would imagine they'll be astonished by your honesty.

Answer 7

no because you were not arrested

Answer 8

it depends under which law you were fined. bicycles are a form of vehicle in some countries, so it would be a traffic offence. in others it is a council regulation that you would have broken. i am pretty sure though that this is not what they would be interested in. ask them or put it in as a note, better to be fully honest so they cant expel you

Answer 9

I would put it in, although I doubt riding your bike on the footpath would be grounds for refusing to extend you visa.

Answer 10

No you recieved just a fine not a conviction so I wouldnt mention it, just in the same way that you recieve Fixed Penalty Notices or Parking tickets, these are contraventions of the rules ie traffc offenses (I think thats the word!) not actually crimes.