This post is intended as a place for discussions about International Travel ONLY.
For more information and previous discussions on the topic, please see International Travel 2021, International Travel 2020 and International Travel 2019.
In this International Travel 2022 post, the information is identical to the International Travel 2021 post. We added a new post for 2022 in order to keep the discussion manageable. Please help us by sticking to the topic of International Travel only.
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From 2020: 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 sometime 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
Older Posts
- International Travel 2021 (2021)
- International Travel 2020 (2020)
- International Travel 2019 (2019)
- International Travel after IML (2016)
- International Travel – Mexico (2014)
- International Travel (2013)
Over time I have looked into the possibility of trying to get any type of visa that would allow me to stay in a country for an extended period of time. I couldn’t find any that did not require a police report from my home country detailing my criminal history. Some specify that if you have any kind of criminal record you will be denied. Others don’t say that but I am sure that is what would happen. What I am asking for here is any personal experience that anyone has with an attempt to get a visa or residency in a country that requires a police report. Has anyone tried this? Will this always result in a denial? Any success stories?
Travel experience back to the U.S. from Thailand.
Just sharing info: What foreigners in France need to know about 2023 passport control changes
Merhaba Family!
I want to update you on my arrival in Turkey a few days ago. I’m currently staying in Ankara—which is a very beautiful city. I’ll start with the good news first. I flew from Chicago O’Hare and transited without incident through Frankfurt, Germany. Since it was an 8 hours transit stop, I didn’t have to go through customs. Later that evening, I flew into Istanbul. Although Turkey approved my visa, I still was nervous about a possible green notice being sent. The customs area was packed to the max at Istanbul Havalimani Airport, but customs officials (mostly young people) were getting people through very quickly. When I got to the desk, a young man scanned my visa, looked at my passport, thanked me and quickly pushed me along the way without any hesitation. It was that simple.
Now for the bad news. While I was waiting to board at Chicago O’Hare, a couple of homeland security officials approached me and started asking questions. They took me into a secluded area and continued asking stuff like how long I’ll be in Turkey, what cities will I be in, where did I get the money to travel, what did I do for a living before I became disabled, how much money I have on me. I asked them if this was about the green notice. Or is it because I’m on the registry—they really didn’t answer and we’re very cagey about telling me the real reason why they stopped me. One guy wanted to look at my phone, and he couldn’t figure why I no longer had my PO in my contacts! I told him I’ve been off parole for a month, so why should I keep that woman in my contacts? You should be talking to my Wisconsin “registration specialist” I’ll probably will be dealing with this broad for the rest of my life, even though I no longer live in that state. She did my 21 day notice for me, she knows where I”ll be overseas, my former PO knows my plans—what more do you guys want? They’re like, I have a 6 month visa, and Turkey only allows you to stay 3. I told them it’s a multi entry visa. I can come and go as I want. They asked me what I plan on doing for 6 months. I said “I don’t know—I”ll decide along the way.” Then one joked that I”ll probably never come back to the US. I said I wish, but I have family obligations. The plane was already boarding, and the agents let me go because they didn’t want me to miss my flight.
I did mention that I thought they did registrant checks after someone returns from overseas. They said sometimes we do it before a person leaves. So for you guys who get checked in secondary upon returning from overseas, they may check you out before you leave. I don’t know why they stopped me, because of my race, because I was just off parole, because I did prison time, because that’s what they do at Chicago O’Hare….I don’t know. But guys be careful and expect it to happen. Anyways, Turkey is wonderful, the people are nice, and the prices are insanely inexpensive. The high speed train to Ankara only costed $9.00. A Starbucks vanilla latte at a classy mall in Istanbul had cost me only $1.90. A swarma wrap costs .75 cents. So you get the idea folks. If you have the means, leave DamErica. Find your slice of heaven in another country. Like my mother told me yesterday on the phone, “I bet you feel like a free man after all these years.” I said yep. Hoşçakalın form Turkey. Yours truly, James Brown
I hope many of my fellow Registrants are submitting FOIA / Privacy Act requests upon returning from travels. I do it every time I return from international travel.
Sand in their gears (and their eyes!), if nothing else. 👍🏻
My husband was born in Mexico but is a US citizen. He even has a Mexican identification card he got at the Mexican embassy. I’m wondering if we travel to Mexico, will Mexico let him in? What will happen when you tries to re-enter the US. Does anyone have a similar experience or background?
How to you get Green Notices removed or do they expire? I emailed USMC and of course they said they don’t know what are done with them after they are sent. Cause I recently returned from Croatia and I was allowed in but of course was asked my palms and they had to write down where I was staying. I have 1 more year until petition to be removed. Thank gawd. But I want to know, if I travel back to the EU will they question me again or refuse because of past Green Notice.
I know red notices expire after 5 years and blue notices after 3. But any ideas on these Green Notices that are sent?
thanks
For information about green notices and how they are processed and removed. Still vague. Any more input would help. INTERPOL’s Rules on the Processing of Data
I found this online and what scares me is when he says “other watch groups”. So if we are off the registry, how can we ensure that those “other watch groups” are current about our registry status. Let’s just say I no longer have to register, but that unknown watch group still has me as a registrant then I try to enter PH and get blacklisted. That’s something I’m trying to avoid.
Maybe I missed something…
There seems to be a lot of discussion recently regarding notices put up on Interpol and sent from
Angel(Satan) Watch.There seems to be a feeling that once someone is off the registry in their state, that something will be different.
As far as I can tell, with regard to international travel, the only advantage to getting off registries is not having a marked passport, which never made any difference anyway.
Since notices are based on convictions, is there some evidence that getting off your state’s registry will have any effect on these notices?
I’d like to read about that.
Posting from India!
314.1 plea in 2000
1203.4 granted in 2003
Never listed on ML website.
Always went to secondary.
Never traveled internationally after SORNA and the 21 day notice.
Petition granted early October. Applied for eVisa soon after.
Now in India, went through immigration with many others with no different experience.
Passport never had the mark, just renewed in October.
Sign the petition!!! https://youtu.be/CNrxRx13JXo
Merhaba everyone! Turkey is great, especially after getting away from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul. It’s an entirely different world outside of that large mega city. People are more relaxed and friendly, especially here in Ankara where I’m trying to emerge myself into the culture, and learn some of the language. I don’t care to know or wanna know what’s going on back in the states. To me, it’s just the country of my birth and a place of good memories growing up in the Inland Empire in the 70s and 80s. But of course, the state of Wisconsin wrecked my life by making me enemy #1 on their hit list. I do plan on suing them, so I don’t have to report to some handler the rest of my life. It’s a total shame that they spent 100s of thousands on my incarceration, medical care and therapy—and for what? Looking at a few dirty pictures on the internet. They just wasted money that could have better been spent on these “victims” organizations. But that’s all right—Wisconsin just made me more resilient and stronger than ever. And I’m going to keep fighting against their bullsh*t. So how do you like those apples?Wisconsin DOC! You state bureaucrats will NEVER break me—you bastards! So anyways, peace and love to everyone—except to all you haters. Hoşçakal, yours truly James Brown
Does anyone know if the problems getting into some countries would follow someone who is on a registry in the US if he/she were able to get a new passport from a third party country where that person is not on any registry and does not have any criminal record?
Regarding the 21-day travel notification…
The regulations state notification must be given before travel outside the US. The simple reading of this would be before a registrant departs the US for an overseas destination.
What if the registrant is already overseas? Is there a requirement that one provide a 21-day notification every time one travels to a different overseas country? Or am I overthinking this?
Hoping someone has been able to find more specific details on this somewhere, as the regulation itself is pretty vague.
Hi, seeking any thoughts and direction. We are a registrant family who would not knowingly do anything wrong and yet we returned from a family vacation to learn a closed circuit, no passport needed vacation cruise we are being violated as not notifying in 21days of international travel. We didn’t even know about the 21 day international travel we just saw a cheap way to have a cool family vacation. When boarding my registrant was pulled aside and told not to get off the boat at ports and otherwise it was fine. Instead of wasting the trip we continued and he was handcuffed at the airport for a registry violation. My registrant is not on probation and just counting four years til we are off. So any hope for us, any past experiences? Has the wording been challenged for cases like this? S anyone explained they just didn’t know and it helped? And so what do you do when you do your best and it feels like you are still being trapped. Thank you.
⭐ ⭐ FOIA Request Info. ⭐ ⭐
I recently submitted a FOIA request to Interpol, Washington, National Central Bureau (USNCB) regarding a September international trip. They responded very quickly. 😃
Furthermore, their response included a document search of the following:
🔹 United States Marshal Service (USMS)
🔹 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and
🔹 United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
That was a pleasant surprise as it will reduce the number of FOIA requests I will need to submit in the future. I will simply send my initial request to Interpol/USNCB.
I suggested others may wish to do the same in order to simplify and focus their efforts. 👍🏻
Good luck!
Hi, seeking any thoughts and direction. We are a registrant family who would not knowingly do anything wrong and yet we returned from a family vacation to learn a closed circuit, no passport needed vacation cruise we are being violated as not notifying in 21days of international travel. We didn’t even know about the 21 day international travel we just saw a cheap way to have a cool family vacation. When boarding my registrant was pulled aside and told not to get off the boat at ports and otherwise it was fine. Instead of wasting the trip we continued and he was handcuffed at the airport for a registry violation. My registrant is not on probation and just counting four years til we are off. So any hope for us, any past experiences? Has the wording been challenged for cases like this? S anyone explained they just didn’t know and it helped? And so what do you do when you do your best and it feels like you are still being trapped. Thank you.
Any thoughts or experiences as to travel to Bulgaria. I read that cost of living is about 1/2 the U.S. avg, which makes it at least 65% cheaper than California. Also rent ( can’t own there unless an Eeu citizen ) is 70-80% cheaper.
Greetings from Bangkok. The immigration counter scanned all 10 fingers and my face while they only scanned 4 of my wife’s fingers.
No issue other than my mask getting stuck.
Hi folks
Turkey is great, but very I’ll soon be trying out a major country that’s not on the travel matrix. Wish me luck!
Former California Registrant.
My offense was originally charged as a felony, reduced to misdemeanor with probation. 1 year, (meaning 8 months) county jail time. Record was not originally corrected at the state level, so CA thought I was a felon until I had it fixed. Petitioned for removal, and petition was granted. Never appeared on Megan’s Law or a public registry.
Questions:
I ask because I know there is danger of people being turned back. I never dared to go in the 15 years I was required to register, hoping to someday get off and avoid appearing on any lists, especially in private or foreign hands.
Is it safe for me to travel soon? Perhaps after several months, or a year? I don’t want to try only to be turned away.
Thank you everyone, for your support and knowledge.
I have bad news.
Getting off the registry doesn’t necessarily help you cruise.
I was just told that my reservation for a cruise next month has been cancelled.
They only asked one question:
“Have you ever been charged [not even convicted] with a sexual offense in any state?”
When I said yes, the gentleman read a prepared statement which basically said that I am not allowed to cruise with Royal Caribbean or any of its subsidiaries. I was booked on Celebrity.
I asked if it mattered that I was no longer registered, and he said no.
I asked how they found out about my conviction, and they said it was public record.
Since we have paid for airline tickets, to Mexico City, Panama City, Brazil, and Argentina, we are going to have to decide if we will try to fly out and do our own thing or just throw it all away.
All this for something I did 28 years ago that I still don’t think was even a crime.
Let’s travel to UKRAINE!
This post is 100% FACTUAL and took me over 2 hours to write and edit it.
And actually, I was thinking many times as I wrote this to simply delete it because no one will care and nothing will change anyway.
ANYONE TRAVELING NEEDS TO READ THIS.
Hello, for some background, I was arrested for Aggravated Indecent Assault. I was convicted 12 years AFTER the statute of limitations had expired (Strange but true) and upon appeal to the Superior Court in Pennsylvania, they ruled that since the crimes were committed outside the limitations, they could not even make a ruling on the case but that since I resided in Pennsylvania, the State Police had jurisdiction to make the decision of if I had to register or not. (Read that again a few times)
2017
I wanted to travel the world and applied for a passport which came with no marking at all stating I was a sex offender. For some reason, I had slipped through the US State Department’s drag net.
I went of the Pennsylvania State Police to inform them I was leaving and the dates of my departure, in which they took me to a room and grilled me for over 2 hours about “Where are you going” “Why are you going” “Where will you stay” “What is the flight number” “Show us your tickets”
Which LEGALLY, this is a federal requirement, NOT a State requiremenet as local police have NO JURISDICTION, but the way IML is written it says to inform your LOCAL law enforcement and THEY will inform the Federal Marshalls (Angel Watch).
I answered as such “I don’t know where I’m staying yet, I can’t read any of the hotel websites to make a reservation yet and I was shown on YouTube it’s just best to come and find a motel so I don’t know. I don’t know what my flight it, I have a virtual ticket and the flight times always change.”
Because LEGALLY THEY CANNOT STOP YOU FROM TRAVELING.
ANY INFORMATION YOU GIVE THEM THEY WILL USE.
And so, in 2017, I travelled to Ukraine to meet some friends that had always wanted to see Ukraine.
It was my first time ever abroad and I was excited. As I got off the plane, nothing in my mind said “MEGAN’S LAW” and I showed my passport to the Ukrainian Guard at the airport, collected my bags and set off on to my adventure.
Ukraine is AWESOME.
I met a woman (LONG STORY SHORT, she accidentally dumped food on me in a restaurant) and over the course of the next 2 weeks, we were inseparable.
I met her entire family, grandparents, mother, father, brothers, everyone.
I rented an apartment in Ukraine with her for 6 months (6 Months Tourist visa Ukraine and 6 Months USA).
We literally lived as a married couple.
I came home to absolutely no fanfare from customs or anything. I simply called the State Police in Pennsylvania and stated I was back from Ukraine.
Over the next few months, we chatted daily on Facebook messenger and Whatsapp, literally hundreds of messages a day including videos, pictures and livestreams.
I knew I was going to be moving to Ukraine for the rest of my life.
2018
I travelled back to Ukraine with the same passport, no one stopped me, no one questioned I had no stamp in the back of the book and I lived in Ukraine for another 6 months. I filled out paperwork to get Long Term Stay in Ukraine (Up to 2 years).
During this time, we applied for a marriage license in Ukraine, we were accepted, and we were legally married in Ukraine. Marriage in Ukraine is a very big thing, you mst go through even psychological checks and it’s just an entire thing of hassles and headaches. Even Ukrainians must do this for a marriage license.
There was never any statements of past criminal records in the United States or even anyone asking.
During this time, my wife got pregnant (Yes, to me)
I travelled back to the USA to finally prepare to move to Ukraine full time.
We continued on as usual, now married, on Facebook messenger and whatsapp.
2019
I got a letter about 4 months after returning stating my Passport was illegal and I would need to get a new marked IML Passport.
I drove 9 hours to the Buffalo Passport office and got a new passport in 1 days time, and yes, it was Marked.
I mean, this is my wife, my unborn child, I need to be there for the birth!
November 2019
I travel to Ukraine dealing with harassment from the local Pennsylvania State Police as usual.
NOW WITH A MARKED PASSPORT…
In JFK airport, I am met with 2 individual agents from ICE (Immigration and Customs) the plane is literally loading passengers. They ask me “Where are you going” “Why” “Where will you be staying” They search all of my bags leaving it scattered all over the floor in the airport.
I miss my flight.
I spend 2 days in the airport until I can book a new flight, imagine this as a smoker, but it’s my wife and child, so I’m doing this.
I arrive in Ukraine at the airport, and everything looks the same, I hand my passport toe the Ukrainian Guard and smile and she types my passport numbers into the computer, looks at me, picks up the phone.
For over 4 hours I was interrogated by an AMERICAN that lives in Ukraine that does translation for the security service in the airport.
They load me onto the very next plane and deport me and tell me I am never again welcome in Ukraine.
I return to the United States and ask for Immigration’s help. They state that I cannot invite my wife and unborn child to the United States as I cannot be a host since I am a convicted sex offender.
It is now November, 22, 2022.
I have never met my son or been able to travel back to Ukraine, even though I am legally married to a Ukrainian citizen.
Thanks USA.
Has anyone from California been able to cruise to Mexico from Long Beach?
i understand you only need a birth certificate and state ID.
I am off the registry and my info was never public. (Never posted on Megan’s Law.) I’d like to know if anyone with my circumstances has any experience trying to cruise.
Please and thank you! 🙏