In an effort to keep this site organized and the comments on the topic of each post, comments, questions and suggestions regarding International Travel will be moved to this post. Please use this for all further immigration / emigration / customs related contributions.
NEW: International Megan’s Law – International Travel Action Group
Also see:
International Travel – Mexico
Living with 290: Traveling to Cabo San Lucas
Resources for International Travel
DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP)
The Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) is a single point of contact for individuals who have inquiries or seek resolution regarding difficulties they experienced during their travel screening at transportation hubs—like airports and train stations—or crossing U.S. borders,
http://www.dhs.gov/dhs-trip
Tip from comments:
Go onto the Homeland Security web site and file whats called a Redress (your addressing your being held up or perhaps miss flights/etc due to constantly being stopped when you re-enter the country). Then, when you travel and re-enter the country, hand both the paper (they will email you a very official paper) and your passport to Customs. The first time I did this, the Customs Officer seemed to not know what it was and the Supervisor read it and I was on my way.
Canada
Inadmissibility – Reasons for inadmissibility – Overcome criminal convictions – Deemed rehabilitation
Rehabilitation For Persons Who Are Inadmissible to Canada Because of Past Criminal Activity
Related
International Travel for Residents of AWA States – AWA compliant States
Going On a closed loop cruise in June to Bermuda.Will this present any problems with the new IML. Since its a cruise they cant send me back home but could they prevent me from leaving the ship?
Here is a stupid question regarding travel to Latin American countries: has anyone tried bribing officials in the denying countries to look the other way? I know, I know, it’s dishonest and corrupt, but I’ve also heard that it is commonplace in some of the poorer countries. “Mordida” used to be quite a thing in Mexico; I wonder if you could convince a border guard to let you in by asking him if you can pay extra for a “special” visa?
And onto another topic completely: has anyone managed to expatriate successfully? If so, to where?
well I see everyones point about this notice of travel thing , just as it would have been in Nazi Germany , but even know this is all in your face unjust , now I will say that I will not even try to pretend that I know a 10th of what many of the people know about all this , but what I know is , is the fact that the US GOV are the best pointing over here and there , and wail we are looking , the Gov is doing the flim flam dance loading there pockets or what ever , but I am seeing that the most affluent people that is fighting against this unjust registry are putting there energy in this travel thing , my self I have never had the money to travel out of the US , and hell if I had and really knew what I was missing I might freak out lol , I understand that the wall has been raised , but we are all still behind that wall , so please don’t for get about all us poor folks that are doing good to stay out from under the bridge and food in the familys belly , and safe from stalkers , hell it would be great to just be able to afford to travel for fun right here in the good old USA with out fear of not having any rights that protect us from this stalker registry , no matter what I am behind you and yours , I care about everyone and thanks to all that have the nuts to stand up , I love to read everyones comments ,thanks if you even took the time to read my little comment , the ol GOV just seems to be trying to separate us by class of crimes and many other things , seems that there stiring things up on to many fronts to make us feel over whelmed , and to costly to fight , yours truly
Such a strange system. My wife and I and are applying for a spousal visa, and I’m (so far)not rejected by the ministry of justice of immigration to move to country X permanently. I spoke with my SO officer on how this all works. She said give her FIVE days to process paperwork, and I’ll be out of the system. But IML states 21 days…but my officer states that’s for TRAVEL, not relocation. Any thoughts?
I have some interesting updates. In February 2016 I successfully traveled to the Dominican Republic. I was not brought to secondary screening nor questioned. Much different than a year ago when I was still registered and attempted to travel to Mexico. So here is what I know:
After probably 20 phone calls to every US justice agency, two different FOIA requests, and obtaining a new passport, I was able to travel abroad without issue. Here are the two most important pieces of information I have gleaned:
1) When I attempted to travel to Mexico in 2015, my FOIA request of Interpol and the US Marshals showed that my registry jurisdiction is actually the agency that initiated my travel notification. It was not initiated from the US Marshals as I assumed it was.
2) After having multiple conversations with the FOIA people at Interpol it was cryptically revealed to me that maybe there never was a Green Notice sent out on me the first time. Basically I was asked if my FOIA stated anywhere on it that a Green Notice was sent and it did not. To me this means that Green Notices are not automatically sent out on sex offenders. Just a regular email notification can be sent by your registration jurisdiction to the Marshals then forwarded to Interpol. I confirmed this by emailing back and forth with the Marshals at which time they confirmed with me there was no Green Notice at Interpol with my name. Maybe we are all throwing around this Green Notice term a little too loosely when in reality our local registration jurisdictions are really the ones outing us and Green Notices really are only for the worst of the worst. Food for thought!
I’m not sure I’m out of the woods yet though with this new law. My parents received a letter from their state Senator assuring them that only currently registered citizens will be flagged for travel. I’ll believe it when I see it though.
I hope this is helpful to someone!
So spiff who are the wost of the worst. Since megans law puts all registerants in the same barrell. Im my case i completed a deferred sentence and was allowed to petion the court for relief. And the relief was granted. I no longer have to register. Just wondering who they consider the worst of the worst?
T when you say you no longer have to register is that just for state and your bound by federal law to register? I hear alot on the news about people saying they no longer have to register or that a state requires you to be listed 10,15 years ect. What everyone fails to see I thing is that there obligated under federal law to register whether your state requires or not.
Well according to the court order im am no longer required to register but think its a state order and have not recieved any noctice to register federal thats why i inquire with another state as to what there laws are before i travel. And if they require me to register i dont go there. Buts thats a good question for my attorney.i only traveled once to new york and had no problems
I think the feds leave it up to the states but i could be wrong.
Here’s another question for you T since you don’t have to register in your state is there anything special you did to travel other than inquire in the visiting state whether you had to register. What I mean is did you provide itinerary to anyone? And I take it update your registry didn’t happen either since you don’t have to?
I think we use the term “green notices” because every document I’ve seen related to this subject, specifically states that the United States Marshall’s Sex Offender Targeting Center (SOTC) receives information regarding our travels, and sends that information to INTERPOL who, in turn, issues a green notice regarding our travel. That is specifically in every single piece of official literature published.
I do not believe that the information is flowing from local authorities. For example, California does not have a predeparture notification scheme. So, when I traveled to Mexico in May 2013, I was not required to notify my local authority. 24 hours prior to my flight, I checked in via the airline’s website and entered my passport information (required). Sure enough, when I landed, Mexico knew. I was taken off to a side room and questioned. Lucky for me, after about 20 minutes, I was free to enjoy my vacation there.
Also, I absolutely know that, regardless of anything else, CBP has our information readily available to them. When I received my very first passport, my wife and I spent a weekend in San Diego and decided to cross over for an afternoon. Upon return, the agent swiped my passport, and immediately sent me off with another agent to be questioned about my afternoon in TJ.
Worse of the worse? I have a single misdemeanor count of 311.11, which was expunged in May 2010. That is literally the only record I have. Never even received a ticket. No criminal issues prior to that, and none since. So no, I don’t think anything is reserved for the “worse of the worse”….I think every single one of us is hated equally.
Sam no i didnt just inquired and went but i know how u feel my attorney said i can travel just inquire with the state i thinking of going to and if not required to register then im good
For those of you that have mentioned “calling the US Marshals Service”, or “calling Interpol”, is there a specific number or department that you make these inquiries of? Just asking in case I need to do so in the future. Thanks.
Dear spiff
Did u have to give the 21 day notice for international travel if u are no longer on the registary. I would like to know as i recieved a deferred sentence and was granted relief from the registary.
You guy’s are making it sound like you can’t travel with-in the United States without notifying authorities! The only thing new to me, is traveling abroad!
T,
There should not be any advanced notification if you are not on the registry. I have never heard anything contrary to that.
Francis,
When traveling within the US most states still require notification that a registered sex offender is in their state. Every state has different timeline requirements. The only difference from international is that no one can prevent you from traveling domestically.
What if your offense had nothing to do with a minor? Does anyone know if this has any impact on international travel?
I am a registered sex offender in CA and a CA resident. My conviction was in 2000 in VA. It was a felony offense that was basically the result of a drunken case of mistaken identity on my part. Blacked out in college and got in bed with a girl’s roommate instead of the intended girl. No force or coercion was used because she thought I was her boyfriend (just as I thought she was a girl I knew well), but there was penetration and police were called, so it was a felony.
I didn’t go to prison but did do time in county jail and was released from probation early after 3 years.
In the years since I’ve traveled pretty extensively with no problems – except in Canada. Last year I was making a connecting flight through Toronto on my way to Europe and was turned back. Flew to New York, bought a new ticket to Spain, and entered with no problem. I’ve also had no problems in the UK, France, Russia, Mexico (most recently in 2011), and many other countries. Sympathetic Canadian officials suggested to me that the problem was that their criminal databases are much more tightly integrated with US databases than other nations are.
My wife and I are now planning a trip to Mexico in May, and I’m here reading these horror stories for the first time. It never occurred to me that I might have a problem, especially because I’ve been there twice before and it was fine.
Can anyone advise me here? Does the fact that no minors were involved in my case help me at all? Are some people successfully making it into the country, but they’re just not posting here – or is everyone being turned back? Do I need to cancel this trip? Is there anything else I can do?
Thanks…
Looking at possibly going to US Virgin Islands next year. As an RSO I see you do NOT need a passport to go there BUT what are the travel restrictions as a US Citizen?
Does anyone know the rules on how soon after arrival you have to register when visiting Puerto Rico and St Thomas (USVI) on a vacation or how many days you can stay without having to register. They are not covered in the Registration Laws for All 50 States list. I have tried reading the statues in these territories but they are confusing and don’t really answer the question. I did find this from the most recent 2012 USVI law:
“The terms “reside” and “resides” mean, with respect to an individual, the location of the individual’s home or other place where the individual habitually lives or sleeps for more than 30 days per year. Moreover, all visitors and individuals who are required to register pursuant to this Chapter and who will be present in the territory for less than 30 days in any given year, must contact the Department of Justice in order to notify the Department of his or her presence in the territory as well as all arrival and departure information.”
Doesn’t specify how to “contact” the Department (maybe just an email or letter?), and doesn’t exactly say you have to “register” if you are there for less than 30 days.
I wrote to the USVI DOJ, and received this not helpful reply:
“You will need to provide a copy of your itinerary. Regardless of the length of stay, you are required to come in within 24hours of arriving in the territory.”
This does seem to require a personal visit within 24 hours, but I can’t find that anywhere in the law.
Anyone have any personal experience on these islands?
My Wife flew out Tuesday to China to see her parents and friends for one month.
When she landed on the Mainland she spoke to an immigration official about me coming with her to China. What she was told by this official is that if I am given a visa in Los Angeles,
They would not turn me around in China. I am not so sure about validity of what the Official said to her. Does anyone have any current info on traveling to mainland China?
Does anyone know what the situation would be if I wanted to visit Germany?
Follow up question, does anyone know if it’s possible to move to Germany while on the SOR here in the states?
Has anyone traveled to mainland China within the last year? A friend wants to go there with his wife but he is worried about being refused entry. Anyone know the Answer?
The Flat Earth Society. That appears to be the mantra of many of the politicians that ignore data and continue to spout about the serious dangers posed by all of the RC’s on the registry. Ignore the facts and repeat your fears, just like those church officials that persecuted, Galileo, Copernicus and Kepler. For politicians, ignorance and the ability to spend millions of dollars of tax dollars equals reelection.
I just got my passport, having renewed it one year early. It arrived in four weeks, and there is no sign of any indicator that can be seen on it. Yet.
Before it might be confiscated and branded in 2017, I hope to go with my husband on one more European trip, where I will continue to do what I habitually do here since incarceration: avoid contact with minors like The Plague.
JoJo, I was just thinking about that early renewal idea yesterday. I have three years left on my passport. Did they give you a “refresh” renewal good until 2026?