If you have traveled to a foreign country after President Obama signed HR 515 / International Megan’s Law into law on February 8, 2016, please complete this survey to help gather details about the effects of this legislation. We will also share this data with the RTAG group for incorporation into their travel matrix. Thank you.
Go to International Travel Survey
Was I just lucky in Canada? We recently returned from a trip to northern Europe. They stamped our passports going in and out of Russia, going into Switzerland, and leaving Denmark. In Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and Germany, they never even looked at our passports. The night before we left Europe my wife showed me our return itinerary, and that was when I found out we were flying Air Canada, and stopping in Toronto. This could be trouble, I thought, and sure enough, when I tried to go online to print our boarding passes, the screen said something like “due to your documentation, you must check in with an Air Canada agent at the airport.” Expecting the worst, we stood in line at the airport, but when we reached the agent, she checked-in our bags, handed us our boarding passes, and said “Have a good flight!.” Surprised, we happily boarded our flight, figuring the trouble would happen in Toronto. We landed in Toronto, filled out the Canadian customs forms, and stood in line. I wasn’t sure what to put on the line which said “How many days will you be staying in Toronto?”, so I told the agent that we were just changing planes, so he said “Well, that means you are here for at least one day, so write in a ‘1’.” So they scanned our passports, took pictures, ran our carry-ons through the x-ray scanner, we picked everything up, and then we were basically in the country! In front of us were the open outside doors where taxis and buses were waiting. We were still kind of in a state of shock, so even though we had a 5 hour layover, we decided not to press our luck and take a ride downtown. Instead, we decided to head toward where our flight to L.A. would be leaving from. It is a good thing we didn’t wait, because that was where the trouble started. It turns out that if you are flying to the U.S. from Toronto (and maybe everywhere in Canada?) that you go through U.S. customs right there in the Canadian airport. Well, I have always had to go through Secondary Inspection when coming back into the U.S., but this was much worse than at LAX or the Mexico boarder crossings. I had to fill out forms, have my picture taken, fingerprinted, carry-ons searched, and then they insisted that they had to go through our luggage which was already checked through to LAX. This all took over 2 1/2 hours. If we hadn’t had such a long layover, we would have missed our flight. As a matter of fact, two other people stuck in Secondary with us did miss their flights. So strangely, we had no trouble going into Canada, but more than the usual hassle getting back to the U.S. The only good thing was that when we flew into LAX, we landed at a domestic terminal, so we just walked right off the plane to baggage claim, and then out the front door. (second attempt to post this – disappeared first time)
OK, so Costa Rica and Belize are out (and of course Mexico). Still looking for someplace warm to go with my family. How about Bahamas? It’s a British Commonwealth country (like Belize) but shows as a “no” on RTAG. Anyone have any real experience? Also, I have discovered Bahamas Ferry Express from Ft. Lauderdale which says on their website that a passport is not required — just birth certificate and drivers license. That might indicate lack of close customs inspection.
Sam: Where are you living now? I’m thinking an hour flight from Phuket — where could that be? Were you able to move and live permanently in another country (with I presume a US sex offender record)? Do you still use a US passport? Do you still register in the US? Many questions. Sounds like you have done something many of us dream about.
@ relief and @ illinois
Did you fly on a US passport? Yes
And you obviously ‘de-registered’ when you moved from the USA (right?) Still registered in NY but with my address here as NY doesnt allow yoy to be deregistered
So are you no longer in the NSOR?
My National Sor shows all blank besides my name anyway and says out of country
Your photo and info has been removed?
New York has a photo from february this year as they said i had to. National never had one.
Sorry for all the questions, but this does seem like a unique experience we haven’t heard before. (Japan and the UK, etc are probably still not likely with a direct tie in with crime databases.)
Here people arent as nosy and rather not waste the effort to cause trouble with enough trouble already going on. As far as i have seen so far the databases on this side of the world arent connected. Last year i spent 3 months in South Korea visiting family and had no issues there either.
Where are you living now? I’m thinking an hour flight from Phuket — where could that be?
Just south of it.
Were you able to move and live permanently in another country (with I presume a US sex offender record)?
If married to a citizen there is no record check for long term visa. But permanent residence and citizenship are a lot harder to get here and can take 10-40 years.
Do you still use a US passport?
Yes good until 2024
Do you still register in the US?
In new york because cant get off their system. I had to fax then the address form. But they allow my emails as updates.
Sounds like you have done something many of us dream about.
If you call making $500 dollars a month a dream. Which honeslty isnt too hard to survive on if you find cheap rent.
But i constantly watch the news back in the US to see if anything has changed since trump got in since i left right after the election.
They were trying to put a registry here but people found it as cruel and shameful as much of the offenses were fom family. Besides the punishment here is more humane they cane you like 15 times and prison for 10 years and thats it. Depending on how serious it was. Worst case they hang you or firing squad.
Hi everyone, looks like the agreement here is that if the islands belong to dutch/france, that entry is OK. Isn/t St. Maarten belong to either of them too?
As of September 2017, Germany is still fine. In and out of Frankfurt with zero issues, as always. Coming back at Houston, this was the first time ever CBP went through my phone (I’ve been going to Europe 3x per year for work for years). When he handed it back he had at least been going through my Internet history (app still open), maybe other apps. I live in a Sorna compliant state but have never filled out a form. I write my plans on my quarterly paperwork. The PD emails the info to wherever.
What’s up with RTAG? If they are not keeping updated, could we put a similar matrix here?
i’m going to renew my passport i’m no longer have to register, and what happens do I still have to give them a 21 day notice when traveling outside the country
I flew to France for two weeks vacation and just got back today (Oct. 8, 2017). Returned through SFO airport and, as expected, was escorted to secondary Border Processing. I was lead to a waiting room and, after 5 minutes, an officer came out of an office, handed me my passport and said, “You can go.” My luggage also received heightened scrutiny by 4 officers, but it was a standard search and they were courteous enough. I was not asked about my cellphone; they did not ask to see it. (Oddly, two of them asked me if I had ever been arrested. Stupid question. Or were they hoping I would lie to a federal agent??)
They entire process took exactly 40 minutes.
i have a question if i no longer have to register if I go to mexico what would happen I’m deregister do you think they would let me in mexico
@Manuel: How long has it been since you are no longer required to register? Is the state of your conviction the same state that has relieved your duty to Register? And have you ever registered in a different state?
It could take many months for your records to be removed from the NSOR. And if you have ever registered in a different state then SORNA/AWA may apply to you and this Federal entry could possibly send a Notice.
Have you ever traveled to and been refused entry to Mexico before? (Is there a record of you trying to enter?)
Had any registrant ever travel to Ukraine or Russia and been refused entry and sent back, and are registrants barred from visiting these countries due to IML? because I don’t see Russia and Ukraine listed in the travel matrix.
@T: Russia is clearly out because they require a visa to enter with a detailed criminal background check and Russia wants a 50 year ban on child SO’s anyway. There’s no info on the travel site because no one has probably tried.
There was one exception listed on a thread here where an RC person entered Russia as part of a strictly supervised, 1 or 2 day ‘Tour Group’.
Oh OK. How should registrants answer to people that question them about what happened to their vacation or business etc due to the IML, what are the do’s and don’ts in this matter, can there be useful tips to help when traveling under the crazy IML?
Hi can someone tell me if I can go to Puerto Rico? When it recovers? What’s the registration requirement there? Do I arrive and depart as domestic flight?
It’s the same with the Marshall islands i am assuming since its another US Territory am i correct
This really sucks. Found out today that American passports are now going to get the unique identifier due to the Magan’s law. Will this ever stop?
http://rsotravel.blogspot.com/2017/11/us-passport-will-starting-identifying-convicted-sex-offenders.html
Researching travel by cruise ship to Mexico from California
Conviction: PC 288(a)(b)1 [oral copulation, victim age 17], year 2007, guilty, Misdemeanor, required to register, but registration not disclosable to public. I do not appear on any state or national registries. Completed probation (granted petition to terminate early!), I still register annually, I have no passport.
I would like to cruise to Mexico with my wife sometime in 2018. Any cruise line, departing from Los Angeles to Ensenada/Cabo San Lucas perhaps.
Has anyone in my shoes made a similar trip with success? Will I be stopped/delayed if I travel with just a birth certificate?
I would love to see this as a separate thread; I can’t be the only person with this specific question.
Thank you all in advance for your considerate answers!
For those of you wondering if you have to give a 21 day notice prior to international travel if you are in CA, I just found out that they are enforcing this federal law. So you do have to give notice now even though we aren’t a SORNA state. Found out when i went to update my registration. The US Marshals had already called to inquire about my upcoming travel plans. Welcome to the USSA!
Yes we got the same information regarding travel. Regardless of the passport stamp I don’t understand the law and if it’s required all are suppose to give 21 day notice or just child related offenses. He never has reported any Travel before , even after the passage of IML and we never had any issues besides being harassed by the customs agents and where we were and the utter look of surprise On their faces.
20 yrs on the registry 288a, California, at the advice of Janice, called my registrating office and gave a courtesy call that was traveling in December to Paris. Was informed that it is mandatory and I needed to come in a fill out a travel form.
@panamclipper, it’s the usual government overreach, as always. If they could have prevented you from traveling at all, they would have done that. Instead, they make it painful, difficult, invasive, embarrassing, and importuning, in order to discourage you from traveling as much as they can.
Did you know when you call the offices of Smart the message greeting actually calls it the Sex Offender TARGETING center?!
(202) 616-1600 See for yourself
The Big Island is really laid back concerning registration. Go to the station once a year, then sign and return a letter every quarter. The form also allows multiple residences for your registration. I usually update one of those before international travel with my foreign address.
I have also never had any trouble traveling to the Philippines from Hawaii using the 21 day arrival stamp, possible because this is a non-SORNA compliant state. Been a couple years since my last trip there, so that may be out of date. I only travel to Africa now.
I am at level one offender register as undomiciled in New York State. I did notify New York State via a letter sent postal mail 21 days prior to my leaving however I was not required to do so because New York state does not comply with sauna travel regulations.
I left one year ago flying from JFK to Frankfurt Germany, once arriving in Germany it was a nonevent, I passed through customs with my family as if nothing ever happened.
Since then I have been to nearly 35 countries in Europe & Africa; Traveling exclusively by train, boat, or car.
I have never been stopped or questioned once other than routine passport scanned at the border and the corresponding entry or exit stamp.
I think the problem anybody faces is when ICE through the angel watch center sends a green notice on your initial travel.
I have heard rumors that the United States can scan passenger manifest in the lake but I don’t plan on finding out if that is true or not because until I decide to come back to United States next year I don’t plan on getting another airplane.
I’m sure my luck will change once I return to the United States and face the scrutiny at the border and with the whole IML passport law change I am not sure I would ever be able to do what I am doing again so I am taking advantage of seeing as much of the world as I possibly can before returning back to United States.