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 2024, International Travel 2023, International Travel 2022, International Travel 2021, International Travel 2020 and International Travel 2019.
In this International Travel 2025 post, the information is identical to the International Travel 2024 post. We added a new post for 2025 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 activation of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) for such travelers, beginning sometime in 2025 – which may or may not take criminal convictions into account. ETIAS Fact Sheet April 2018 – July 2018 – update Nov-2024
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2. Resources
Forms
- California Notification of Intended International Travel (CA DOJ – Form – 2016) – Submit this at least 21 days in advance
Publications
- RTAG Travel Matrix
- IML Dispatch (SMART Office, Feb 2016)
- ETIAS
Older Posts
- International Travel 2024 (2024)
- International Travel 2023 (2023)
- 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)
Are the laws different for travel. for people who no longer have to register????
Some states do not put all persons forced to register on registry websites. New York, for example, by state law does not put Level 1 PFR on the website and requires people to submit inquiries on Level 1 folks to the state department of criminal justice services, with the person’s name and one other identifying piece of information (address, for example). Level 1 New York PFR, therefore, do not appear on the national registry.
The question is, are folks not on publicly available registries subject to IML?
Angel Watch Center is mandated as the only authority allowed to assess whether someone is covered under IML.
The DHS website for AWC says “The Angel Watch Center uses flight data along with the National … Registry and publicly available state … websites”.
The text of the law states that AWC is authorized to use “all relevant databases, systems and sources of information”, to “determine if individuals traveling abroad are listed on the National … Registry”, then “review the [US Marshal’s] [database of people who submitted advanced international travel notices] or other system (sic?) that provides access to a list of individuals who have provided advanced notice of international travel to identify any individual who [is on the National … Registry] and is not (emphasis mine) in a system reviewed pursuant to this subparagraph”.
The DHS privacy review of the Angel Watch Program says “AWP personnel use information maintained in DHS databases and other federal government databases (e.g., National Crime Information Center [the system that contains your rap sheet], National … Registry, to identify passengers who have a conviction for a sexual crime against a child [note: many rap sheets only list your charge, not whether you’re convicted]. The AWP personnel are responsible for vetting all positive matches to verify that the passenger is the covered [person] in question. AWP personnel [look at] available [info on departing passengers on international flights] (note: DHS maintains a list of all departing passenger info), NSOR record, [State Department’s database of passport info] U.S. passport information, any other U.S. Government data source, and/or other publicly available open-source information. If additional information is required during the vetting process, HSI analysts may use ICE’s Investigative Case Management system as a secondary check to verify the covered [person]’s criminal history record.
Which of these descriptions describe how AWC actually works? And does the language of the last two mean folks not on a state or national registry are not subject to IML?
Europe Travel in 2025?
EES: Currently not in effect but will start “sometime” in 2025.
ETIAS: Currently not in effect but will start 6 months after EES takes effect.
But what about ETA? I didn’t know…
I have transited (passed through) Heathrow airport 3 times – once before I had a marked passport and twice with my marked passport. I had no issues; one time I even landed in one terminal and was transported by bus to a different terminal for my connecting flight. Because I was in transit, I never went through British customs, and therefore my passport was never scanned.
We have a trip later this month which includes an 8-hour layover at Heathrow. I was not concerned because I’m no longer registered and have a new unmarked passport, but then I got an email from the airline reminding me that ETA would be in effect starting January 9, and that we need to make sure that we have our ETAs before we fly out of the U.S.
I did not know what ETA was, and I assumed it wouldn’t affect us since we were just transiting, but I figured I better check it out.
Turns out, everyone flying to the UK must have an ETA, even if just passing through. This concerned me, for reasons we all know, but I decided to apply for the ETA anyway, figuring if I was rejected, I would have to buy a new ticket, avoiding the UK.
To apply, I downloaded the new UK ETA app on my iPhone. This is a pretty high-tech app! First, it had me capture the main page of my passport. Then it had me point my phone at my face, where it did some kind of facial scan to confirm that I was human (at least that is what it said). Then I was told to take a selfie of myself with a blank background after which it told me that my photo was acceptable.
Next, I was told to scan the chip in my passport using my phone. I had no idea that iPhones could be used to scan passports, but after a few tries, the app successfully downloaded the info from my passport. Note that in this process, I never had to enter my passport number nor my name – the app took care of all of that.
Of course, next came the part I was dreading: the personal question section. Sure enough, the “Have you ever been convicted of a crime in the U.K. or any other country?” came up. I figured that since this was the U.K. there was probably no point in lying, so I answered yes. Then, a pop-up screen appeared: 1) Have you been convicted of a crime within the last 12 months? 2) Have you ever been convicted of a crime with a custodial sentence of 12 months or more? 3) Have you ever been convicted of a terrorist crime or a war crime? After I honestly answered ‘no’ to those three questions, the pop-up screen disappeared, and the original screen changed to “Criminal History: none”.
That gave me hope! After finishing the rest of the app (home address, phone number, email address, credit card number to charge the $13 fee, etc.) I was told that my application was complete and that I would hear from them within 72 hours if my application was approved.
Amazingly, I received an email 5 minutes later that said my ETA application was approved, and that I could now travel to the UK as many times as I wanted to for the next 2 years, as long as I didn’t stay for more that 6 months.
This is a very positive thing for me, but I am under no illusion that an Angel Watch notice wouldn’t still prevent entry, but absent that, it looks like I would be good to go.
I would encourage anyone whose sentence was less that 12 months to apply for the ETA, even if you have no current plans to visit. It would be interesting to find out if the ETA would be granted, even if you are still on the registry, since there were no questions about that.
As always, I will post updates as to the success (or failure) of our trip.
Does anyone know if it is ok to travel to a secondary country without informing the US? For example, can you get in trouble for turning in your 21 day notice to travel to Italy. In this example, Italy is the only intended destination. Then once in Italy, you decide to change your itinerary completely and travel to say, Indonesia, or Brazil? Would they know? Would they care? Could this be a possible loophole to travel to places that would normally allow you in if it weren’t for the Angel Watch notice they receive prior to arrival? Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Considering an MSC cruise to Mexico, Bahamas (private island), and Belize. I know Mexico is a no go, however there is no passport control with cruises – cruises just sent manifests to the nation.
To spice it up, I have an Enhanced Driver’s license which IS proof of citizenship and I can travel on it. It’s equivalent to a passport card. I intend to only use this as this is supposedly acceptable, but will also bring my passport. I do have to give 21 day notice.
Anyone have any experience with MSC cruises to Mexico?
Also – if I’m in Florida for less than 48 hours, no need to register, correct? I’m a level 1 non-public in my state and want to keep it that way.
Interesting thing happened on my last trip overseas…
Stopped for secondary screening when entering the [foreign] country, as usual.
When I first started to travel here in 2016 they asked lots of questions each time. Once I started the process for permanent status the questioning stopped and I just sat in the waiting area while they starred at their screens for a while and then handed me back my passport.
This time, I was pulled into the interrogation room for questioning, like in the early years. As I’m explaining my case from nearly 30 years ago, the agent pointed to a piece of paper and asked about the ‘new’ situation that occurred in 2023. I know for a fact that nothing happened in 2023, or at any point since my initial conviction.
My guess is that what she was pointing to was the notice sent by the US in conjunction with a trip I took here in 2023, at least judging by the glance I was able to get at the paper sitting on her desk. These notifications apparently make it seem like there is some new reason for concern, especially to immigration agents with limited understanding of them.
Between the language barrier and immigration agents in foreign countries not understanding why the US sends out notices like this for nearly 30-year-old convictions it’s understandable why I was questioned. But that understanding doesn’t make it any less a PITA.
In the end, after sitting another 30 minutes or so in the waiting area the agent returned my passport and welcomed me to the country.
My reason for posting is really just to point out that these notifications being sent out by the US can and do create real travel problems, even for people like me who have permission to be in a foreign country. Anyone traveling needs to be aware and prepared to defend their history. I travel with a fairly current copy of my FBI background check so I can defend against any notion that something ‘new’ has happened.
And no – I won’t offer more details on my current status or where I am other than to say that I’m in the final stages of gaining permanent status. After that’s complete I’ll be willing to give a little more detail. Till then, I’m being overly cautious in case they are monitoring online postings. No point in messing things up now.
What do we know about Albania? Anybody been? Any hassles? Thanks.
Has anyone who is a former PFR applied for a Redress Number? Has it helped? What has been your experience?
I recently went through a very crappy incident coming back to the US via car in Mexico where I was handcuffed and thoroughly interrogated / searched.
I decided to go ahead and apply for a redress number as suggested by another agent in Chicago last month.
The response was rather generic:
”DHS TRIP has researched and completed our review of your case. DHS TRIP can neither confirm nor deny any information about you which may be within federal watchlists or reveal any law enforcement sensitive
information. However, we have made any corrections to records that our inquiries determined were
necessary, including, as appropriate, notations that may assist in avoiding incidents of misidentification.”
Headed on an MSC cruise next month. Has anyone had issues with disembarking at a port? IDs are not checked – just cruise cards. 21 day notice given, but traveling with birth certificate + ID (no passport).
I have been on the registry for 9 years (3of the on fed probation) all the while without any incident. I went on a cruise 4 months ago to Mexico and the Mexican Rivera I gave them the authorities 3 weeks notice and had no trouble whatsoever in going coming back or visiting the countries.
I am currently on a second Cruise to the Caribbean and this time I did not have the three weeks required requested time period to let them know about this cruise I only gave them one week notice. I was allowed into Belize. I was turned away from Cozumel and turned away from Honduras told I could not enter. In fact in Cozumel the authorities came on to the ship and requested to see my passport and told me I couldn’t come in whereas nor as they just said you can’t disembark they called me and discreetly did it on my private cabin phone.
Now I come back and not sure if I’m going to be facing any kind of penalties fines or something worse because I didn’t give them advanced warning, when I was unable to, also sailing into Florida is not going to help any matters because they are supposedly the strictest state.
TRIP UPDATE
Status: No longer registered in any jurisdiction, though my conviction code would be tier 3 under the latest SORNA. I no longer have a marked passport.
We flew to Delhi, India from SFO with a long layover in the UK (Heathrow). We both had ETAs for the UK and eVisas for India. Our passports were scanned at Heathrow, but nothing was said one way or the other about our ETAs.
We had no problems with immigration in India. After a five-day visit, we flew to Mauritius, where we received visas on arrival.
We are currently in the middle of the Indian Ocean on a cruise ship.
I think I can safely assume that no Satan Watch notifications were sent to the UK, or India, or Mauritius or I wouldn’t have gotten in.
I just realized Thailand is doing ETAs now. Was just there before Christmas and no one asked for one. Apparently they’re gonna start doing them but it’s unclear what it actually asks because it just directs to the visa page
https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/why-thailand-and-uk-are-joining-australia-brazil-indonesia-egypt-germany-india-and-saudi-arabia-in-replacing-visa-free-travel-with-eta/
Has anyone ran across any information if allies will start making it harder for US citizens to visit in retaliation of actions taken by our dictator/divider-in-chief?
A traveling friend of mine just contacted the “the Europe Direct Contact Centre” to try to get up to date traveling info. in Europe. The ETIAS is not in operation yet. “There is currently no official start date. ETIAS will become operational after a different system; the Entry/Exit System (EES). The European Commission has proposed to introduce a progressive start of operations of the EES by giving countries 6 months to deploy it. A revised planning for ETIAS is currently being discussed. The date from which travellers can apply will be published on this website:
https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/smart-borders/european-travel-information-authorisation-system_en
Prior to ETIAS the (EES) will be in operation. this system does not require any pre authorization or action prior to being at a border.
“You will not need to apply for the Entry/Exit System (EES) once it is operational, nor take any other steps before your journey.
The EES will only change procedures once you are at the border: your passport will no longer be stamped and instead, your entry will be recorded in an electronic system. If it is the first time you enter one of the countries using the EES after it becomes operational, your biometric identifiers (fingerprints and picture) will be taken.
The European Commission has proposed to introduce a progressive start of operations of the EES by giving countries 6 months to deploy it. Travellers will be informed of the next steps through the EES website and directly at the borders. An information campaign will be launched prior to the start of operations”
The ETIAS system has clauses of 15 years and 25 years for previous crimes (look them up yourself).
My friends’ impression from his correspondence was there would be little change once everything was in place and more organization after it’s inception. It seemed to him that all borders would have the system in place. More like traveling in Europe pre eurozone. We’re both planning another trip pre ETIAS when EES is up and running.
The last time I ever gave notice, I just used the form I found online
United States Marshal’s Service Notification of International Travel
I just filled out what was asked, in AS LITTLE DETAIL AS POSSIBLE! Be vague. Your itinerary is allowed to change and be flexible. I only ever gave my entry and exit city and dates. As I now live permanently in the EU, I am no longer registered anywhere, so even when I go back to the US to visit, I don’t need to register or give any notice, as long as I don’t “overstay my welcome.” My former registration office was Van Nuys and I only ever mailed in the form, they usually called to confirm receipt, but I never needed to go over to confirm anything.
Denied Entry – Advice and Help Needed – I was just denied entry at Jordan and sent back. Jordan Interpol said my passport had a hold/blacklist and they wanted me to get a hold of someone to speak with them to remove the hold/blacklist for entry (?). I didn’t know who to contact while I tried to call the embassy there but the consulate office was closed. I submitted the Notification of International Travel to my local jurisdiction.
Does anyone have advice on how to navigate this because this is for a business trip?