We have updated our main International Travel section. It features:
- List of Schengen Nations (allowing entry to registrants);
- Resources (including a CA DOJ Travel Notification Form); and
- User Submitted Travel Reports.
This post is linked from the Main Menu at the top of the site.
1. The 26 Schengen Nations (which allow registrants to visit)
As an agreement, Schengen was signed among the five out of ten countries of the European Union members back then, on the 14th June 1985. Under the Schengen agreement, travelling from one Schengen country to another is done without any passport and immigration controls or any other formalities previously required.
Austria
Belgium
Czech republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Note: US Citizens are visa exempt when visiting the Schengen area for up to 90 days in a 180 day period (List of Countries, Section B or map). The European Commission is proposing creating a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for such travelers, beginning in 2021 – which may or may not take criminal convictions into account. ETIAS Fact Sheet April 2018 – July 2018
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2. Resources
Forms
Publications
- RTAG Travel Matrix
- IML Dispatch (SMART Office, Feb 2016)
- ETIAS
Old Posts
- International Travel after IML (2016)
- International Travel – Mexico (2014)
- International Travel (2013)
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https://youtu.be/YYPqKHePCyE
The guy who went to Germany is having a webinar wit WAR on the 6th
‘Anyone try to travel to Vietnam lately? Did you get in? Certainly would hate to make that very long plane trip and be turned away. The RTAG Matrix shows turn aways, but would love to have real information.
@ Joseph
There is civil unrest. The threat level is 2. Today though there was a protest but it was a peaceful one. So things might be going back to becoming an orderly protest. Hong Kongers are determined to fight for democracy until 2047.
Anyone travel to Belize recently? I know they have now established their own sex offender registry, but I’m assuming that doesn’t prohibit US citizens on the registry from visiting. It shows on the RTAG Matrix as ok, but there’s a disturbing note about “may be turned away.”
Hello everyone. Can sex offenders travel to Costa Rica or Mexico?
Thank you
Hi again. Will, It sounds like Paul did answer the question. Sounds like sex offenders can’t go to Mexico or Costa Rica.
I’m in Chicago. Does anyone know if sex offenders in California can live by the ocean and go to the beach? Thank you
Thank you guys for your help. Any news on the challenge on the Michigan registry law change?
Anyone else concerned about ETIAS system in Europe in 2021? There are many countries already under the visa requirements. Our difference is the notices sent to our entry point countries. Any input from anyone? I’m assuming I will be rejected and I will have to appeal. I’ve been getting travel dates, passport stamps etc. together from the previous decade towards this purpose. The world is going to look a-lot smaller soon.
Mike G have you sent in a foia request to DOJ or angelwatch? Any idea if that info. will be helpful?
Here’s some news for any Registrants returning to the U.S. from travel abroad:
CNN: Suspicionless phone searches at the border are unconstitutional, court rules.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/13/politics/border-searches-electronics-unconstitutional/index.html
I have never had my electronics searched, but we shouldn’t have to worry about it.
The new Etias visa program website has a page that details how to apply with a criminal record. Lays it all out.
https://www.etias.info/travel-to-europe-with-a-criminal-record/
Sounds like if you were not in prison for 3+ years you’re ok. But, of course they’re can always be “exceptions” for sex offenders, where we have more restrictive conditions. Why doesn’t someone apply for the VISA and report what happens.
It says: Minor criminal offenses should not prohibit entry to the Schengen Area. Travelers who have served 3 years in prison or more, or who have been convicted of illegal smuggling or drug offenses with a 2-year prison term or more, are likely to be refused visa entry.
https://narsol.org/2019/11/narsol-to-wv-you-have-been-warned/
For those of you that havent seen this yet. Cant wait to see how this turns out!!
I live in California and recently took a cruise out of Miami to the Bahamas. I have TSA Precheck so flying is always no hassle. Traveled from CA to FL without issue. Boarding the cruise was no issue. It required a passport and they scanned it the same as they scan anyone else’s passport and I boarded. No problem exiting ship at any of the Bahama islands. On the last night of the cruise I got a note that Customs & Border Patrol wanted me to report for secondary inspection, so I’d be leaving the boat about an hour before other people. 4 couples (including myself and girlfriend) exited the boat early. We went through customers. When it was my turn CBP took me into another room and asked if I knew why I was here. I told them yes. They asked who I was traveling with. I told them. They asked if she knew I was an RSO. I said yes. They confirmed that. Then he said, okay, what’s going to happen is we’re going to search the bags of you two. If I find anything related to your offense, we’ll search your phone. Otherwise, you’ll be free to go. Sure enough, they searched bags and asked us questions (where do you work, etc). It probably took 3 minutes per bag. At the end he thanked us for our patience and showed us where to exit and we went and hopped on our transfers back to the airport.
In summary, it was a good experience. Since I was leaving the country, I did submit the 21-day federal notice to my local police. They seemed clueless about it which was fine with me. I got the SO lady to make me a copy of it and add her name/date/biz card as a sort of proof that I submitted it.
Customs was a slight annoyance but the officer was professional and relatively fast. All told, probably added 30 minutes to the deboarding process, but getting to leave 1hr early probably saved me a half an hour. Their interaction with the 3 other couples seemed to roughly mirror what I experienced.
I traveled Norweigan Cruise Lines which googling suggested was relatively friendly to sex offenders, and if they knew I was, they never let on and my experience was as enjoyable as anyone else’s.
Holland America Line
I’m wondering if anyone has any recent experience with, or know any RC with recent experience cruising with Holland America Line.
My wife has just booked a last minute cruise with them through the Panama Canal. The ship stops in several locations that people like us have been turned away from, but according to the cruise line information, the only place that checks passports when you leave the ship is Costa Rica. I’ll have to decide whether to risk trying to exit the ship, or just stay on board. On the same cruise line information sheet it states that if you are on a cruise that docks in Canada, and you don’t have proper documentation (passport), or if you have any conviction (even DUI or shoplifting, etc.) you can not only NOT enter Canada, but you are not allowed to be on any ship that DOCKS in Canada (this cruise doesn’t go to Canada – I’m just making a point). I’m really hoping this policy does not extend to Costa Rica.
Would appreciate comments from anyone with insight in this area.
Thanks!
https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/PoliceChief_June2017.pdf
page 24
Received my passport today and it does not have the marker in the back or anywhere at all. My case was military so I dont know if that’s why I was missed or what. I guess once I go overseas and come back, I’ll find out if they require me to exchange it for one with the paragraph……….
@Gralphr
I guess you know that you are one of several that have posted the same situation.
I have yet to hear about one of those persons traveling, and then having their new passport revoked, so maybe you will get lucky and get 10 years out of it!
Hey all!
I wanted to give some info if it’s relevant for anyone, and ask for some info in return.
I travelled to Armenia, Cuba, and Ukraine last year… no issues at all. I added these trips to the matrix but never showed up for some reason.
I have a lot of experience with Mexico and I can tell you it’s impossible. Gone through every legal process, and most semi-legal processes. The Mexican government will not under any circumstances allow us in. There are some grey areas (married to a Mexican national, owning property over $250,000 in value) that have potential that I have not tried because of the expense and since there is no guarantee. But any normal circumstance is a no go.
I am wondering if anyone has experience with Morocco? Have a plan to visit soon. Also wondering about places like Maldives and Seychelles?
Does anyone know if someone who is not longer required to register has had Angel Watch alerts sent out? In this case the person is no longer on a registry and thus not required to provide 21-day notice nor meets the standard for the notification requirements in IML.
Basically, i will be off the registry soon and need to figure out what steps I can take to ensure notifications are no longer sent out. I assume getting a lawyer to write to the Angel Watch Center would help. Any other thoughts?
😣 Well, I for one, am quite concerned about ETIAS taking effect in 2021. I travel to France every fall, but I’m worried that b/c I was incarcerated for four years, I may be permanently excluded from visiting after 2020.
Furthermore, even if I am able to eventually get off the Registry….. or if the Registry and IML are deemed unconstitutional and eliminated …. the conviction remains on my record and may work to exclude me from ever getting that ETIAS visa and ever visiting my heart’s home again. I have written to the EU for more information about ETIAS, but I have not heard back from them. 😟
Not international exactly, but my questions deals with the same travel issues. In Puerto Rico, my research seems to indicate that they do have not sex offender registration laws specifically for PR, but default to the SORNA regulations.
In SORNA, for example, if you were convicted of possession of CP, the SORNA law reads: Tier I: Predicate offenses include whatever offenses do not support a higher classification, such as misdemeanor registration offenses and child pornography possession.
And, you are relieved of the registration obligation after (at most) 15 years: SORNA specifies the minimum required duration of sex offender registration for tier I sex offenders to be 15 years.
So, if it’s 15 years after your conviction for CP possession, I read it that you can move to PR and no longer have to register (meaning exempt from IML), and live happily every after in this tropical paradise.
Nothing like the exemption they have in many states that if you move there, you have to register according to the laws in the state you were convicted in, even if they are more restrictive than the new state.
Also, let’s say you vacation in PR. I don’t believe that, according to SORNA, you have to register. The law says: Section 113(a) of SORNA provides that a sex offender shall register and keep the
registration current in each jurisdiction in which the sex offender resides, is an employee, or is a student.
I don’t think staying at hotel in San Juan for a week or two constitutes residing (or working or being a student). SORNA says nothing about vacationing.
@TS
Hii !
You are right !
I just Read the USMS blocked almost 4k RCs because they could, not because they were RIGHT ! Now we must ask since David had this happen to him, hummm …HOW A
MANY OTHERS ARE BEING DONE THIS WAY, BEHIND OUR BACKS ???
Also, its one Hell of a system that is able to do dirty deeds and call it LEGAL !!!
We must ask ourselves, Why Are We Going Through All This Corrupt Crap and the U.S. is filled with Scholars, Legal Personnel, Law Firms…You Name It !
But everyone in good conscious knows this is Not Right/Legal.
Well, its good to see are passing helpful info, and i appreciate your input…
@ AJ:. I submitted a FOIA Request to US Marshals Service last year and I received a copy of the “green notice” that had been sent to France prior to my visit there. It required some follow-up on my part to nudge them into finally responding, but they did respond. It took about six months to receive their response.
I am still relatively young, have been off the registry for 3 years under the laws of my state. My children will be moved out and on their own within the next few year, one of which was born as a result of my crime. I have done well, comparatively, and was young when I committed my crimes (15 years ago). I have been working as a Technician and Engineer since my conviction, and have my Masters. As an Engineer I have been looking at the possibility of applying for a EU Blue Card to work in Germany, of which I can apply for permanent residency after 33 months as a Blue Card holder, and then citizenship after 8 years. I heard that German citizens have more privacy rights and convictions are not limiting if they are 10-20 years old when it comes to visas. Anyone have any experience with this? I will be in my early 40s by then and still be able to restart in a sense if I can become an ex pat.
@TS I am sorry, I missed your post with the PR lawyer contract. Could I trouble you to put it up again. I would definitely like to ask a lawyer about this, because I think the law, as I read it, is very vague and unclear. Sorry for the bother. This means a lot to me and my wife. We are planning a trip to PR in Feb and I have scrupulously adhered to the registry rules governing travel in my 14 years on the registry in Illinois.
I have a question no one has seem to brought up on the Intl Travel forum. If I were to travel to a country were my offense is legal or was legal at the time I commited it, would that country allow me into their country or approve a work or study visa although the US considers me a sex offender felon? For example , possession of cp was legal in Japan at the time I commited the same offense in America. Now Japan bans possession and they long had a ban on people with serious crimes from entering the country.
There are still a few places were cp possession is still legal like Namiba and Singapore. Will I still be turned away although my offense is legal there?
After all, America doesn’t turn away some of those countries’ offenders who commited crimes that are legal in America. For instance, homosexuality will get you prison time in Namibia and many other African nations. And we all know the story about Singapore with it’s very authoritarian government. Many of their citizens have been imprisoned for taking a stand. But America would have no trouble letting those same criminals into.our country. Drive as a woman in Saudi Arabia, they get prison and lashing. When those same offenders come to America, they get a heros welcome (this really happened to on female advocate) So you see what I’m saying? I’m not praising draconian laws of other countries. But surely they get pissed off when we don’t respect them by letting their criminals into our country. So why should they respect our sex offender laws? Already many countries in Europe and Africa give the US the middle finger by allowing foreign RSOs into their country. Too bad East Asia is starting to chicken out and exclude us. That’s all I have to say. Just something to ponder.