There have been many comments / stories on recent travel to Mexico. This post is dedicated to Travel to Mexico. Some Mexico specific comments have been moved here for further discussion.
Also see:
Living with 290 – Traveling to Cabo San Lucas
Sharing More Information Will Enable Federal Agencies to Improve Notifications of Sex Offenders’ International Travel – United States Government Accountability Office, February 2013 (Highlights)
International Tracking of Sex Offenders Working Group – An interim report of the collaborative effort to develop a system for tracking registered sex offenders as they depart and enter the United States, as required by 42 U.S.C. 16928 (White Paper) – developed by representatives of the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and Department of Defense offenders as they depart and enter the United States, as required by 42 U.S.C. §16928, December 2010
Current Situation Results in Thousands of Passports Issued to Registered Sex Offenders – United States Government Accountability Office, June 2010 (Highlights)
Does anyone know the registration requirements for visiting Missouri? I’d like to visit and watch my favorite team (Rams) play for once, and I was hoping I could keep the trip to 3-4 days and not have to register. If it’s like Hawaii with the 10 days, I might see more of the state while I’m there.
It’s distressing to hear about the foreign travel restrictions, but if so, I at least want to travel and see some sites in the US, as I’m getting close to retirement.
David,
Missouri requirements are as follows: # of days to register, 3 days.
May not reside w/in 1000 ft. of a school, child care facility. May not loiter w/in 500 ft. of properties. May not be present w/in 500 ft. of public park, pool.
If you no longer have to register or report any travel international to any authorities you should be okay to travel to Mexico. But if INTERPOL send a traveling sex offender Green Notice you’re going to be out of luck.
Thanks, Jim. It’s enough time to have a relaxing weekend and see my Rams play.
This may seem like a dumb question, but I don’t want to accidentally do anything wrong. If a place gives you a certain amount of days to register (like the 3 with Missouri), if I’m coming in on Friday night and flying back on Monday morning (technically 3 days, but substantially less than 72 hours), am I required to register or contact anyone in St. Louis, or can I just travel and make sure I fly out on time?
I hate these restrictions, as the furthest thing from my mind is hurting or bothering anyone. A few years ago, I stupidly met a teen online. That was very wrong and foolish and indeed criminal, but I took this long polygraph detailing every sexual experience I ever had. They know I never messed with anyone underage before. My longtime girlfriend dumped me and instead of handling it maturely, I got online to cure my loneliness and made a poor, poor decision. I know there are people on here who did a lot less than I did, so I guess my point is, they could really do preventative maintenance if they would not paint everyone with the same brush, particularly the poor folks who committed a crime as a minor. Talk about destroying lives. I’m an old 52 year old guy, but I can’t imagine folks in their 20’s knowing they always have to live under this “big brother” shadow.
UH…vahall;
I drive into Baja about 6 times a year, so yes, I know my geography and have a smidgen of experience. One could DRIVE to TJ and fly out of the TJ airport, thus avoiding (hopefully) the forwarding of information by the Amerikans to other countries. There are currently NO unusual border checks going into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing.
Thanks vahall for setting me straight though.
David,
Janice has posted the regulations for each of the states. The information I gave to you was from the compiled list. Personally, to me, three days would mean 72 hours.
Jill
Update from my Mexican immigration law attorney:
Finally, I believe I have discovered the “legal foundation” for all deportations of Americans whose names appear in the registry. It is an INM document called: INM/DGCVM/3372/2013 describing the “Programa Angel Guardian” dated the 6 of December of 2013. I will request this document through a Mexican Freedom of Information request.
I am registered in oregon for life because i was forced into a plea bargain in California. I entered Mexico on sept. 2013 and found a crowd of Mexican customs agents waiting for me at the bottom of the ramp (thank you Alaska air). After hours of discussion an immigration officer determined that since I was there with wife and step son, had a return ticket 10 days later, motel reservations etc, she would issue me a permission slip to be in the country. I proceeded to the village destination and made arrangements to lease a “vacation” home on a yearly basis. Upon returning to the states I hired a Spanish speaking attorney to write a letter explaining that my crime was a misdemeanor, that I had never been found guilty by a jury, and that I was a hard working family man. I also got letters from my Mexican landlord saying I was always welcome in their village and a character reference from my employer in Spanish as well. I returned feb 20, 2014 and after a 6 hour delay was issued papers saying they had consulted wit “CNA” and it was determined I was not a threat to their country and they allowed me entry on a 6 month visa. I am now returning to the states as I broke my ankle and only pray they allow me back to my sweet little village in the jungle this coming September. I never want to live in America again for the things they have done to me
Perhaps I am in the wrong forum, but I hope someone can answer my question. I am a registrant but not subject to Megan’s Law which means I am not on any public registry.
1. Is it possible that I can be on this list that would deny my entry to other countries?
2. What about Canada? Is there much red tape if I drove across the border and back?
I ask because I am a college professor and belong to an organization that has yearly 3-day conferences in different parts of the U.S. However, in 2015, the conference will be held in Toronto, Canada. My plan was to fly to Buffalo, NY (my aunt lives out there and I was planning to stay with her anyway) and just drive across the border to Toronto. Will I be stopped and/or denied entry? Would I need a passport? (I don’t have one right now.)
Here’s another article on the subject:
http://pueblaonline.com.mx/portal/movil/index.php/2013-11-28-18-34-18/item/1564-se-aplica-en-puebla-el-programa-angel-guardian-contra-extranjeros-pederastas-inm#&panel1-1
Here’s Google’s translation:
Notimex reports that from 2013 to date, the government of Mexico has refused entry to national territory of 51 foreign pedophiles as part of the Guardian Angel program in several states, said the National Migration Institute (INM).
The ministry said that the program, which is applied in coordination with U.S. authorities, “shielding” the borders to prevent the placement of Mexican territory purged of people who have convictions or have been convicted of sexual assault or rape to children and adolescents in their home country.
The INM explained in a statement that Baja California, Jalisco and Mexico City are the entities which have strengthened the surveillance against suspected pedophiles, and that also apply in Guanajuato, Guerrero, Nuevo León, Puebla and Queretaro.
Revealed that in January the income of an American who had migratory alert in the U.S. on charges of sexually assaulting minors in 1994 and which was 30 days in jail and 10 years probation in Dallas was avoided, Texas
—
So is Mexico only refusing entry to those convicted of sexual assault or rape of minors? And is Mexico only refusing entry at the specified locations?
It appears that Mexico is only stopping American registered tourists from entering their country at the various tourist locations that have airports; Cabo, Cancun, Mexico City. As of yet, I’ve never been stopped at the border driving into Mexico. No doubt, at some point I will be…
Just a follow up my need to travel to Mexico on business. I did an expensive two day trip as a test. And I had no problem, so after a great deal of consideration and prayers I made it into Mexico with no problems. My personal suggestion is not to go there if at all possible. I understand when it’s really necessary, but for vacations and leisure travel, DON’T. The embarrassment and expense is not worth it, at least not until our government stops scaring the crap out of other countries needlessly.
I did not know of the legislation being proposed. Thanks for the information JB, jarring and depressing. Double jeopardy with lifetime U.S. imprisonment as a sentence. I’ll send in a donation later this week. I appreciate those working in CA RSOL for their efforts in fighting for justice.
All this talk on the subject but has ANYONE contacted the ACLU?
My wife and I are thinking of taking a 3 day cruise from L.A., to Mexico. Has anyone dared this since Mexican agents started meeting us at airport gates? I don’t know how much different the immigration process is with regards to cruises v. flying in.
Also, having never taken a cruise before, is the immigration process the same when returning to a U.S. port? I know that this is a “closed-loop” cruise, so I don’t know what all the differences are.
Any help that anyone can offer is greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much.
Paul
Anonymous;
Sorry for my very late response to your question. Yes, I use my passport and I’m 100% sure it’s chipped and includes my arrest information. I believe it is scanned and read before I even get to the agent at the “toll booth”. All they do is run the passports through a scanner and flag us over to secondary. I usually hop out of the car and walk across the border just to avoid the embarrassment that comes with the unnecessary delay and vehicle inspection. Maybe I’ll run it through a demagnetized or something. Also, the row of numbers on the passport carries significant meaning and basic personal data. Someday I’ll figure it all out.
I wonder what International Court of Law would say on this issue??
Wonder where I can find info on this “Guardian Angel” program.
http://www.banderasnews.com/1405/nb-mexico-guardian-angel-program.htm
‘Guardian Angel’ Keeps Sex Offenders Out of Vallarta
BanderasNews.com
May 9, 2014
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – During the recent two-week Easter vacation period, Immigration officials at the Puerto Vallarta Airport denied entry to four foreign citizens with criminal records in their home country for sex-related offenses, according to Jalisco Government Secretary Arturo Zamora.
Zamora reported that the men were between the ages of 33 and 55, but he did not reveal their nationalities or identities. All were flown back to their home countries by the airlines on which they arrived.
Zamora went on to say that the visitors were identified before they entered Mexico, thanks to an international interchange of information.
At the end of March Zamora announced that during the previous nine months 38 foreigners convicted in their home countries of sexual crimes against minors had been refused entry into Mexico by immigration staff working at the Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta airports.
All of this, thanks to a program known as “Guardian Angel,” which allows Mexican Immigration officials to identify and prevent people with previous criminal convictions from entering the country.
I was denied entry in Manila though my purpose was to marry my fiancee and file a K-3 Visa Application for her through the US consulate. Not only has Homeland Security (who sent an alert) prevented me from entering another country through harassment and malfeasance, they are now interfering in my right to marry whom I choose. If I cannot get this to work through legal channels (I am currently working with Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office to hopefully be able to file a K-1 visa app with a waiver for the physical meeting requirement), then I will have to either renounce my US citizenship in protest and become a stateless person (it would take me off the registry for sure–the Feds can’t compel a non-citizen to register as they have no legal jurisdiction), or turn to illegal methods to get her here. I am very pessimistic as to being able to marry my fiancee, whom I love more than life itself, but I see now that there is very little hope or help for me, and I blame no one. I am the one who put myself in this situation. Even though my conviction is 16 years old from when I was 17-18, and I served all my time rather than do parole (I was released last year), Wisconsin, and the government, still continues to marginalize and punish under the color of law. I gave up fighting for other people’s rights in the joint because they don’t care enough to defend themselves. I have no education, was denied by the Art Institute from joining to gain a college education, have no trade skill, no job prospects, and nothing to give me any kind of future, or even hope for one. If all my efforts fail, then I will have no choice but to simply quit the game of life. For me, it is black and white. There is no gray area in dealing with this form of tyranny, and if you can’t play the game and have even a remote chance of winning, then why play? Not worth it to me. Better to die than live a half-life as a slave and pariah in a country I cannot escape from, apart forever from the woman I love and who loves me in spite of my past.
I will share my success story. After lots of time and money, my lawyer was able to get me off the sex offender list (I was 17 when I had sex with my 14 yo neighbor). Texas got me off the list earlier this year!
However, I was stopped in Mexico coming on my way back to the US from South America! This was because of a temporary Florida registration that I filed during a visit years ago and somehow still showed in the national registry. I was able to get Florida to get me off their books!
I then called the INTERPOL, which were useless. However, the US Marshall’s were very cooperative. Records were modified to stop any future notifications being sent in the future to any countries.
I tested it this weekend and successfully went to Puerto Vallarta! I was very nervous when they scanned my passport, but things went smoothly!
Well girlfriend and I just tried to go to Mexico and I was denied entry as I am an RSO from Texas. Right now it looks like every time an RSO books an International flight the destination country will be notified no matter the location. Looks like we are locked in the good all USA.
Hello All,
I am going on a cruise in a few months, that leaves out of Miami. It is a 7 day cruise, from sunday to sunday (actually less than 7 days) that visits 5 different countries, Mexico is one of them. I know people have had problems getting into Mexico. However, I am not “flying” in. There is no plane to send me back on, and I will not even be in these countries for a full 8 hours.
I will be visiting Grand Cayman, Caymand Islands; Cozumel, Mexico, and Belize. I do not need a passport, so I will only have my drivers license and birth certificate. Can anyone tell me what types of problems to expect, mainly those who have been on cruises.
Thanks for any help you could give. Please answer only if you have been on Cruises recently since this mexico issue
Here’s the message I received from my Mexican immigration attorney who’s working with me trying to get permission to enter Mexico.
Honestly, I have not been thinking about your situation since I sent the report. I said I was going to do a series of Information Requests and the truth is that I got paranoid. Doing these requests would raise some serious eye-brows.
Another issue I had in the back of your mind is the question of whether or not you are still seriously involved with the Mexican woman and wish to continue the battle.
If you want to move forward, let me know.
As you know this type of crimes get a lot of attention and social rejection, nonethelss I was acquitted,and want
to enter the country .