Convicted Felony and International Travel Laws
Once you’ve established yourself in a safe and secure post-conviction environment, you may want to take a family vacation or get away from all press for a bit. International travel with felony charges or any criminal record is a little complicated. Even if you have no issues “on-paper” in the USA, the country you are visiting may have travel laws restricting your entrance.
The trick is to enjoy all the domestic flights you can, get your passport, then speak with the consulate and border patrol in the country you wish to visit.
In these articles, we cover a wide range of topics to help you clear airport security. Everything from “can felons go to Canada” to “can a felon obtain a passport.” Be sure to contact our team if you have a topic you want covered.
RECENT POSTS: CONVICTED FELON TRAVEL
Can a Felon Go to Canada for a Vacation?
In 2021, there were 4.28 million trips to Canada from all over the world. Why? It isn’t just because this is one of the friendliest countries to ever exist. Canada is full of beautiful landscapes, incredible dining, great shopping, and entertainment venues that will leave you jumping in your seat for days.
Can a Felon Get a Passport in the USA?
A US passport is a form of federal identification that allows Americans to travel abroad. The US Department of State issues passports, but they’re not easy to get. You need to apply for one and provide all the necessary documentation. If you’re an American citizen in possession of a criminal
Are Felons Allowed to Leave the Country?
A convicted felon experiences a lot of restrictions as part of a conviction or criminal record. Convicted felons lose civil rights like voting, owning a gun, and running for public office. The public stigma of being a felon is an unofficial punishment that makes it harder for those convicted to
Traveling with a Felony Conviction: What You Need to Know
Traveling to all kinds of wonderful and unique places takes a little extra work. Your criminal record can easily cause a snag when trying to get through border patrol or clear airport security. All these articles offer a solid “heads up” so you can be better prepared whether going to Walt Disney World or tasting sweet beer in Germany.
What About Domestic Travel?
An excellent place to start with any travel laws is booking some domestic flights and visiting U.S. national parks and tourist destinations. This helps you curb the travel bug, but without any restrictions like having to learn if a felony passport is possible or not.
Always double-check with your P.O. or parole paperwork before you travel. The best case situation is to be 100% off paper and not have to register for watch lists or offender registries. This allows you complete freedom for felony travel inside the states. However, you may have some challenges if you prefer to stick to international travel.
International Travel with a Felony Conviction
Can a felon obtain a passport? Yes! However, it all comes down to the country you are visiting. Someone with a DUI on their criminal record going to Canada will find a much harder visit than another with a simple marijuana charge.
The same is true if you want to visit Japan, Taiwan, Europe, or so many other countries. Every single one has varying travel laws their border patrols have to stick to when it comes to international travel.
Start by contacting the local consulate of the country you wish to visit. If you are seeking frequent trips, you may have to reach out to an immigration lawyer for a more permanent solution or seek a pardon/expungement for your criminal convictions.
Practical Tips for Clearing Airport Security
Again, every country will have its own way of dealing with a traveler who may have a convicted felony charge. Here are some tips to help you smoothly move through border patrol and adhere to travel laws:
- Make sure you have all your travel documents, like your passport, visas, permits, and conviction paperwork or pardon letter, readily available. This will save you time and allow border patrol to make copies.
- Be open and transparent about your felony conviction. Clearing up any misunderstandings by remaining calm and communicative goes a long way with international travel.
- Learn the different screening procedures at an international police check. Some are much more resistant or calmer than others.
- Follow all directions as long as they don’t violate your civil rights. Remember, you are subject to their laws when you’re on international ground.
- Stay informed by reading our blog at The Felon’s Guide and other resources for updated information about the latest changes to international laws and felony travel.
One final thing to take note of is you may be tracked. Countries like China and Russia will track your movements because of your previous criminal history. This isn’t all that out of the ordinary and is something we in the USA do as well. As long as you’re keeping your nose clean, there isn’t anything to worry about.
Final Thoughts
You’ll feel freer than ever when you clear airport security and step down on international land. Your criminal record will be long away, but you must go through the motions of dealing with border patrol and travel laws.
Be prepared and remain calm, and you shouldn’t have any issues as you use your felony passport to see all the sights the world can offer. If you have a question or topic you want to see covered, just leave a comment below any of these articles.