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 2022, International Travel 2021, International Travel 2020 and International Travel 2019.
In this International Travel 2023 post, the information is identical to the International Travel 2022 post. We added a new post for 2023 in order to keep the discussion manageable. Please help us by sticking to the topic of International Travel only.
====
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 activation of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for such travelers, beginning sometime in 2023 – which may or may not take criminal convictions into account. ETIAS Fact Sheet April 2018 – July 2018
—
2. Resources
Forms
Publications
- RTAG Travel Matrix
- IML Dispatch (SMART Office, Feb 2016)
- ETIAS
Older Posts
- International Travel 2022 (2022)
- International Travel 2021 (2021)
- International Travel 2020 (2020)
- International Travel 2019 (2019)
- International Travel after IML (2016)
- International Travel – Mexico (2014)
- International Travel 2013 (2013)
So, doing research on visiting Scotland, I found this on the UK.gov website under the immigration rules:
9.4.4. An application for entry clearance or permission to enter under Appendix V: Visitor, or where a person is seeking entry on arrival in the UK for a stay for less than 6 months, must be refused where the applicant:
Reading this tells me that since it’s been YEARS that I was incarcerated, so this tells me I can visit once I am off registration and not required to notify under the IML.
What do you guys think? Currently, there is NO entry for me on the National SO website AND I have a non-marked passport that I obtained in 2018.
@New Here,
This is a public forum and it is virtually guaranteed that this is being monitored by people who are also in charge of sending advance notification to foreign countries. As such, this is not the appropriate place to have this type of discussion. I suggest finding a non-public forum to discuss this kind of stuff.
This might – or might not 🤷🏻♂️ – suggest which Schengen Countries could be problematic in the future when ETIAS comes into effect in late 2024:
These Are 10 Nationalities With Most Denied Schengen Visas Per Capita in 2022
It’s that time of the year where I have to renew my passport. Simple question, is it illegal for me to not have a passport? I don’t want to apply for another one simply because of the process and the records revolving around the stamp. I don’t plan on flying internationally until I’m done registering (which is a blessing in disguise since I have more time to build my company so that when the time comes I don’t have to worry too much about work). And I have the REAL ID so I know I can fly domestically with just my drivers license in CA.
I figure I just stick it out for my >3 years and change left on my registration and then get one.
Thoughts? Pros/Cons?
This is a question for those who were notified their current passport was revoked because it was missing the stupid “identifier”…
when you sent away for your new marked passport- did you get your old passport back?
This comment more about France the country, than specifically about international travel, but many of you might find this interesting. I certainly did. (This seemed like the most reasonable place to post it.)
If you can find the podcast “Talking France” (FYI, it is spoken entirely in English), Episode 03-09-2023, at 22:00 into the podcast, is an great discussion of the individual’s “Right to Privacy” in France.
It’s definitely worth a listen.
Latest update from our friends:
§21503. Angel Watch Center…..(e) Activities(1) In general In carrying out this section, the Center shall, using all relevant databases, systems and sources of information, not later than 48 hours before scheduled departure, or as soon as practicable before scheduled departure-
(A) determine if individuals traveling abroad are listed on the National Sex Offender Registry;
(B) review the United States Marshals Service’s National Sex Offender Targeting Center case management system or other system that provides access to a list of individuals who have provided advanced notice of international travel to identify any individual who meets the criteria described in subparagraph (A) and is not in a system reviewed pursuant to this subparagraph; and
(C) provide a list of individuals identified under subparagraph (B) to the United States Marshals Service’s National Sex Offender Targeting Center to determine compliance with title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (42 U.S.C. 16901 et seq.).1
(2) Provision of information to Center Twenty-four hours before the intended travel, or thereafter, not later than 72 hours after the intended travel, the United States Marshals Service’s National Sex Offender Targeting Center shall provide, to the Angel Watch Center, information pertaining to any sex offender described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1).
(3) Advance notice to destination country(A) In general The Center may transmit relevant information to the destination country about a sex offender if-
(i) the individual is identified by a review conducted under paragraph (1)(B) as having provided advanced notice of international travel; or
(ii) after completing the activities described in paragraph (1), the Center receives information pertaining to a sex offender under paragraph (2).
(B) Exceptions The Center may immediately transmit relevant information on a sex offender to the destination country if-
(i) the Center becomes aware that a sex offender is traveling outside of the United States within 24 hours of intended travel, and simultaneously completes the activities described in paragraph (1); or
(ii) the Center has not received a transmission pursuant to paragraph (2), provided it is not more than 24 hours before the intended travel.
…..
updated as of 28 August 2023
This part strikes me in regards to ETIAS.“You Are Considered a “Risk”During your application for ETIAS, your criminal record will be checked. However, this does not mean that you are prohibited from applying for ETIAS if you have committed a minor offense in the past.
The same does not apply to individuals who are considered a current threat by international security.”
The minor offence and current threat by international security seems like it can defiantly cause a hiccup if angels watch or Interpol is involved..
I wonder since it seems relatively easy to get a visa for Europe.(I have seen some SO do it for Germany.) Would it not be a good idea to apply for a visa before ESTIS goes into motion. It says that you do not need to apply for ETIAS if you have a visa in any Schengen country.
“If you have a Schengen Visa, then you will not need an ETIAS authorization. You can present your visa to the border authorities when you enter the Schengen Zone countries. When your visa expires, you can apply for the ETIAS if you are eligible.”
since hong Kong is suddenly off the table, but this has not been updated in any of the travel matrix spreadsheets, I find myself needing to replan a trip in progress. am I in violation of the good faith disclosure if I buy a ticket to Europe instead without filing a new travel plan? I’m already within the 21 day window for my trip.
I posted this in a different forum thread but since it relates to international travel I will also post here.
Montana v. Hinman which was a recent victory over the registry in Montana that just recently seems to have become known to NARSOL and here had the following in its decision:
“Moreover, the development of sex offender registries over the past several decades has generated additional collateral consequences that can only be attributed to the registries themselves. For one example, a 2017 federal law requires the U.S. State Department to affix conspicuous identifiers to the passports of people belonging to sex offender registries. See 22 U.S.C. § 212b…. The present SVORA structure clearly points toward recognizing the Act as punitive in effect.”
Effectively these justices in Montana recognized IML as one of the reasons the current registry in Montana is… punitive. While these justices can not make rulings regarding passports because that falls outside of a state courts jurisdiction this may be able to be used as something persuasive in a future IML challenge.
I just received my new passport. 🤗
Apparently, the U.S. State Department is trying to deter counterfeiting “six ways from Sunday!”
Really, six (6) ways! 😵💫🙄
(Click on attached pic.)
Registrant denied entry into Spain, a Schengen country!
For those who missed this:
Posted by notapas4U on a different page:
I just had the expensive, humiliating, and very depressing experience of being denied entry at the Spanish border as a result of the US’s Int’l Megan’s Law Alert.
What confuses me is that I thought I did everything right–
I called the Spanish Consulate before hand; they confirmed that a prior sex offense is not an absolute bar to entry into Spain, though they advised that everyone is case-by-case (what else could they say in a general statement.)
I reviewed all the online blogs and matrixes, which confirmed that Spain was an open country.
There was no indication that I would spend the first full day of my vacation in a Spanish holding cell awaiting a return flight home.
The other “curious” thing is that the Spanish officials who turned me away were super apologetic, and they claimed that the US was “instructing Spain” turn me away. They said I was welcome to return once I get the US to remove the alert they put on my passport.
Does anyone have similar (or opposite) experiences?
This trip cost me my entire year’s worth of days off, thousands of dollars in flights and hotel reservations, and left my friend alone on the trip we had planned together for nearly the last year (he’s not a registered person so he was admitted).
How can I ever even attempt to travel anywhere abroad again without understanding exactly what the US has put in my file? It’s too expensive and burdensome to just get on a plane and hope for the best.
The Spanish police told me that they allow in tourists who have the IML stamp in their passport; so apparently, DHS/Customs/Angel Watch also transmitted an extra “alert” of some sort– with absolutely zero cause (because this was a legit tourism trip), I am not under any investigations, and I am off all legal restrictions. I prereported my trip to the registry as required, without incident.
I don’t know if this is something personal to me; if it is limited to this one occassion (maybe some bureaucrat got overeager or pushed the wrong button??); or if this is a new across-the-board policy of Angel Watch to try to ban our travel without leaving their finger prints on it. “Hey, it’s not our fault that Spain elected to deny your entry!” (even though we basically tagged you like a terrorist.)
Lastly, anyone know of any lawyers with expertise in this specific niche area of the law? Thanks.
I will be traveling to Italy first week of October. The 21day notice is around the corner for me. I have been to Hong Kong in 2019 and Paris in 2020.
Both times I gave them flight info and hotel I was staying in. Never had anyone show up and question me.
I have seen on different posts that people give flight info and where they are going and nothing else….no hotel…etc….
I am about to book a tour through Italy with various hotels at different towns and where we will stay. Do I need to give them all hotel accommodations. Or just say going to Italy…landing in Rome and that is it?
Any insight is helpful. I hate giving them any info….so intrusive…..but definitely want to not give too much or little.
Has anyone done the TSA precheck application with positive results?
Be interesting any feedback.
Hello I posted a month or so ago I’m testing Jamaica this weekend. As a reminder I’m off the registry entirely. No notice given or required to be given. I walked into customs this morning. Scanned my passport in the kiosk and got the green checkmark. Went right thru after. No questions asked. Currently having a rum punch with my wife at the resort. Wanted to be sure I posted this update!
Has anyone experience with travelling to countries beyond their original, registered destination?
Have you gotten a stamp in your passport from that unregistered destination?
Have you been questioned when you got stateside for your travel outside of what was in your notification?
Thanks for answering any of the above.
More European/Schengen Agreement ETIAS information for those who might be interested:
EU’s ETIAS May Bring New
Difficulties to Travellers, Experts Warn – SchengenVisalnfo.com
(Here’s a better pic of the logo / shield / emblem. [UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE – US MARSHAL SERVICE]) 😝
Just watchin’ the watchers as I watch them watch me! 😝😆🤣
I am dual citizen UK and USA. Level1 NYS CP please God will be done January 27th, 2025.I have applied and am entitled to, a German passport which hopefully will be done by Jan 2025. Any advice or words of encouragement very gratefully received.
I will be traveling to Europe on a family vacation next month and I saw some comments here indicating that the notification form provided above is out of date? Does anyone have a link to the current form I can fill out? I understand this form is to be provided to my registering agency (local PD). Is there anything else I need to do?
FYI:
U.S. Department of Justice | Office of Justice Programs | SMART Office October 2022 SORNA Implementation Document No. 12 14
12. SORNA: Clarification of Registration Jurisdictional Issues
Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), requires that sex offenders register in each jurisdiction where they live, work or go to school (see 34 U.S.C. § 20913(a)).
*****************
*****************
There is no requirement that a state, territory or tribe where an offender previously was registered must remove an offender from the registry once they are no longer required to register in that particular jurisdiction.
Made it into Mexico. Here’s some background:
Adjudicated back in 1992. Was able to petition court to have my registration requirement removed, and my juvenile record sealed and vacated back in 2013. No IML mark on my passport.
The trip:
Bought tickets from the US directly to Mexico City. Sweating bullets as I landed. Saw that Mexico has automated gates now and thought that would be my best chance. Scanned my passport at the automated gate, walked in and got an error. Told to come out and get in the foreigner line. Got up to the agent who asked me what the purpose of my visit was. Before I could finish telling her why I was in the country she stamped my passport with a 90 day visa.
Conclusion:
Seems like getting off the registry helps.
For all of these new cases that we are reading about, concerning new laws and rules that are taking effect everywhere, that are being challenged in state supreme courts and higher ups of the like, the decisions being handed down, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania, where people who committed their offenses PRIOR to the date of the enacting of the new law, that these people cannot be held to abide by these new rules, (damn this is long), should therefore not have to be a forced participant to the IML.
Any person who did not commit their offense after the date of enactment should therefore, the same as the rulings being handed down now on the enhancements of current SOR laws, not be required to abide by this new IML.
Has anyone argued this yet?
Hi all,
My wife and I will be traveling to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Paris over a 19 day period in the coming weeks. I am interested in meeting with a lawyer/solicitor located in any of those three cities who has expertise in helping a registered SO relocate in their country. This is a long term decision with so much research to do in advance, and as we will be there, it makes sense to me to start to develop some legal ties/relationships over there. Any referrals you can provide and of course, and thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
Just posting a delayed update on my travels. For the second year in a row I successfully made it into Thailand after going somewhere else first. Last time was just a several month visit, but this will hopefully be a much longer stay. My lady is here and couldn’t get a visa to the US, so I had to come back here. I’m in the process of getting a one year visa, signed a one year lease on a nice house for the equivalent of about $250 US dollars and already have my Thai drivers license, so hopefully I can show this everywhere instead of my passport (no mark yet). I was worried about my arrival, but the agent only questioned my arriving flight because it was delayed so long he thought the departure time on the boarding pass was wrong. Just like last year, they didn’t ask anything about lodging or departing flight. I have enough money to stay for at least a few years if I can’t find any income, but will be looking for some kind of remote work. Anyone have good online business ideas?