International Travel 2024

Here’s a story that illustrates why we don’t have problems getting into Europe … whole different approach to people with a one-time offense, even people forced to register.

Sent to jail for raping a child, Dutch beach volleyball player qualifies for Paris Olympics representing the Netherlands

I am back from Việt Nam. I flew there on a direct flight from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City then a flight to Hà Nội. First I had a flight from LAX to SFO. I got to SFO and got my luggage and carry-ons and started looking for the departure gate. I found it, and was sitting there when 2 guys came and started looking for someone, it was me. They were DHS, they came up and showed ID and asked if they could talk to me for a few minutes. We went to a little more private area and I told them they just put a target on my back in front of everyone there. They asked what the purpose of my trip was, I told them I was going to visit my adopted family and friends there who I have been helping with English for several years. I told them I wanted to be with my family for Tet holiday there. My family are friends I have helped with English, one of them for around 14 years. He started calling me father long ago and has always told me I changed his life when he met me. For them, learning English is very important and can really help them in employment. Anyway, I have 4 sons and they are married so I have daughters and 6 grandchildren. So I told them, I explained to them I was going there to see/visit my family and I was going to live there for my retirement. I asked them if they were going to have me blocked when I got there, and they told me no, things were OK.
So I got there, flights were uneventful. My son picked me up from the airport in Hà Nội and we went to his home. I stayed there with him and his family. He lived in Yên Phong, Bac Ninh Province around 40km from Hà Nội and it was great! I went to HN when I could and I went to Giao Thủy, Nam Dinh Province to visit my other son and his family. My son there works on a cargo ship. He is the first officer on his ship and was at home in between contracts. I’ve been to VN 4 times before before the pandemic and always visited family and friends when I was there. This time my son was home and it was very nice to see him again. I love being with my family there!!
After a while I found and apartment in Hà Nội, it was a nice apt, but on the 4th floor and no elevator. It was priced really nice, I just bought a 55inch TV and soundbar. hehe In Việt Nam for a tourist visa you can only stay for 90 days then you need to go out and apply for another evisa. I got my visa for Laos and was planning to go to the border and apply for my evisa there. The bus ticket was from Hà Nôi to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. I got off the bus at the border and walked through the outbound line for Việt Nam, then filled out the paperwork for Laos and got through their border. I found a café and ate breakfast and used their WiFi to apply. I used a company I used for all my trips to VN and filled out the form and sent it and the photos of everything I needed. I got a message asking if I was out of VN and if I could take a picture of the exit stamp on my passport. I did, and sent it, then I got a message back saying my visa could not be applied for and issued because I violated Vietnamese law. I asked them what law and they could not tell me. I asked them again to ask the Vietnamese agency issuing the visa what law and the agency told them they could not tell them. So now, I am at the border and a long ways from anywhere I can get a flight or anything. The owner of the café gave me a ride to a town where I bought a ticket to go on to Vientiane. I got a hotel and started figuring out what my next step was. I messaged my son, he has a friend that is a policeman, she works with immigration and she asked them why I was put on the immigration blacklist and what law I violated, they said they couldn’t tell her. I cannot get any answers why I am not able to, or wasn’t able to get back into Việt Nam. I booked a flight from Vientiane, Laos to LAX with an 8 hour layover in Shanghai. I have to admit, Shanghai Airport is really nice!! I got back to LAX and I only had carry-on which was kind of nice. (I left most of my things at my apartment, I packed most everything up just in case and I had to have my son hire help to take it to his home) I went through the normal second screening and was expecting the worst. I told them direct and very adamantly that I did NOT go there for sex or anything like that!! After a while I was out of there.
I am back living here, the US is not my home, it is just where I am forced to live. Việt Nam I will always call home!! I am now finally getting ready to send an email to the Ministry of Public Security (the department that handles the evisa) to find out why I cannot go back. I NEVER violated any Vietnamese law, I was a contributing member of Vietnamese economic society. My son just lost his Vietnamese father to cancer. My son’s children know me as grandfather, they lost a grandfather, I don’t want them to grow up without having a grandfather. I need to be back!
I am sorry this is so long, I just wanted to let you know what was going on and what I went through.
(I never thought about going to Laos or Lao, but being there for 6 days, it was really nice. I would love to go there again one day)

Should we book last-minute to avoid a Notice (assuming no need for the 21-day advance Notice)?

Hey all.

I was coerced into pleading guilty to 2 counts of attempted cp possession in 2012. Sentence concluded in 2016. I have been forced to register in numerous states since. I have been looking into the possibility of moving to Nicaragua permanently because I am disabled and only make about $1,200/mo and their requirements for residency/citizenship are very relaxed. Can anyone tell me the best known strategy for getting there and staying there, or if it’s impossible?

Thanks a bunch.