That link he useful for visa visits, but all you need to know for the ESTA route to go to the USA (formerly known as the visa waiver scheme) is how you answer this question on the application form:
“Question 2: Has this traveller ever been arrested or convicted of a crime that led to serious material damage or serious harm to another person, or damage to a government institution?”
So if you did not write off a couple of cars or seriously injure someone else when drink driving, you can safely answer ‘no’ to that question in complete honesty.
I have advised a number of people on drink drive courses about this topic, helped a relative through the visa route (because of assault convictions 30 years ago) and tried speaking to the US embassy myself to try and get clarity.
The embassy will not give you an answer as to eligibility, the stock answer is:
“If the applicant has any doubts about their eligibility for ESTA they should submit an application for a visa and we will advise them in the light of their circumstances if one is required”
What I can say is that in every case where I have known of someone submitting an application ‘for clarity’ they were taken down the visa route.
I can also say that on every occasion where someone with a drink drive conviction (without significant damage or significant injury to another) applied via the ESTA route, they were successful and had no problems entering the USA.
