Originally published: April 24, 2012, Updated: April 24, 2024
Understanding Travel Restrictions
It’s no secret that a criminal record can limit how you live your life. But the hurdles aren’t restricted to your home country. Criminal histories are barriers to international travel, and their effects may be lifelong.
What can you expect if you try to travel with a criminal record? Depending on your destination, you may never complete the journey. Many countries, such as the U.S. and Japan, will turn you away at the border.
But don’t give up your vacation plans or future career prospects just yet. If you’ve worked hard to rehabilitate, you know that limitations can be overcome. Travel restrictions are the same — with the right legal strategy and a bit of paperwork, you can still explore the world.
Where Can You Travel to With a Criminal Record?
Not all nations are equally strict about travelers with criminal records:
- Many countries are reported not to require a visa or ask questions about your history. Examples include Argentina, Andorra, Brazil, Chile, Cambodia, Dubai, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, The Philippines, and Vietnam.
- Schengen Area nations may permit you to enter without passing a conviction check. You can also travel between these countries without a passport after entering the EU. Individual member nations can still ask as needed — notable examples include Germany and Spain.
This list isn’t exhaustive, and the laws vary. For instance, countries like China, South Africa, and Russia restrict felon entry only for certain crimes.
Countries that don’t screen felons at the border may still check behind the scenes. When visiting places like Singapore or Brazil, for instance, you might get kicked out after initially being admitted.
Your point of origin also makes a difference. Some countries maintain reciprocity agreements with each other that ensure the citizens of each nation receive similar treatment. These agreements may make it easier to travel to foreign countries that have good relationships with yours.
One of the biggest challenges of planning international travel is that there are no universal rules. It’s critical to get the facts straight from the embassy of the country you plan on visiting. This is the only way to navigate the travel restrictions that apply to your case. While travel agencies and booking companies can provide basic information, official government sources and legal experts should be your guiding stars.
Where Can You Not Travel to With a Criminal Record?
A few countries stand out for clamping down on felon immigration and visits:
Countries like Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Taiwan, South Africa, Kenya, Canada, and Japan deny travelers who’ve been imprisoned. These restrictions vary, however. For instance, Japan forbids people with drug-related convictions or convictions that carry prison sentences of 12 months or more. Australia, on the other hand, has similar time criteria but is less strict.
The place you’re visiting and your criminal history determine your limitations. While some states are no-go zones for felons, others make exceptions. For instance, if you were pardoned or rehabilitated, you might still make it into Australia or Canada — as long as your rehabilitation or pardon lines up with the laws of those nations.
So what are your travel options if you’re planning on visiting countries with strict entry restrictions? Some good ideas include:
Talk to the local consulate or embassy before setting any plans in stone.
Although these bodies usually refrain from offering specific legal advice, they can direct you to good resources for requesting exemptions. Some may be more willing to help you figure out whether travel to their countries is worth it.
Talk to someone in a similar situation who’s traveled to your target destination.
If you know someone who’s made a successful trip with a criminal record, they could clue you in on what to expect. The caveat here is that their trip should be recent since procedures and laws change.
Establish a contact in your destination country.
Do you have family, friends, professional contacts, or other connections in your destination? If so, it may be easier to show you’re not a threat to the community. This won’t exempt you from needing to file the paperwork, but it could help you strengthen your case.
Explore pardon services with AllCleared.
Talking to an immigration and pardon expert is a must even if you try the other suggestions. Getting a pardon (record suspension) can hide entries on your criminal record. When foreign border agents do background checks, they won’t see your full details.
Record suspensions make it easier to travel, but it’s critical to talk to an expert. Bodies like the Parole Board of Canada set a high bar for what they pardon, and you need to provide ample supporting documentation. Chatting with the AllCleared team can help you navigate this process faster and increase your odds of a successful application.
Learn more about where you can travel by checking out our blog post on which countries don’t allow felons.
How a Criminal Record Can Impact Travel Preferences
One of the issues about having a criminal record is that it can constrain your travel habits. For instance, most people who want to travel aren’t willing to completely abandon their dreams. Instead, they’re forced to accept compromises.
This makes a big difference in where you go and how you get there. For example, you might have to adjust your plans and skip certain countries if you plan on backpacking. If you decide to take a cruise, you might not be able to enjoy certain ports of call or have to complete part of the journey by air.
Your criminal record can influence your holiday choices too. You might be forced to make the best of a staycation instead of taking a true vacation simply because border travel is tougher. In some cases, having an active record can make travel less fun — nobody enjoys receiving increased scrutiny or being pulled out of the line for extra scans!
Best Practices to Follow When Travelling with a Criminal Record
When traveling with a criminal record, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Volunteering information won’t help you. If an official asks you about your history, you should answer truthfully. No question. But if they don’t request this info, you’re not doing anything wrong by keeping it to yourself.
- Be sure to fully comply with all disclosure rules. This may seem contradictory to the last suggestion, but there’s a time for full disclosure. For instance, some countries that ask about your criminal record want everything, not just recent convictions.
- Keep your documentation handy. Felons who get over-scrutinized benefit from having all their paperwork on them. This is a requirement for traveling through many countries, but you should do it even if it’s not.
- Apply ahead of time. This rule applies to everything from passports and visas to pardons and travel waivers. No matter what your situation looks like, you should leave room for delays in the paperwork process.
If you live in Canada, the following resources might also be of interest:
- Canada’s official guide to record suspensions
- Canada’s page on cannabis record suspensions
- Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
- AllCleared’s record suspension eligibility checker
- U.S. travel admission forms
Applying for a US Entry Waiver
A U.S. entry waiver lets certain inadmissible felons apply to visit the country. By applying for this in advance, you can speed up the process and increase your odds of crossing the border.
The main document to know is Form I-192. This form asks you about your criminal history, reason for travel, and other information. It’s also used by T (victims of human trafficking) and U (victims of criminal activity) nonimmigrants.
In addition to filling out the form itself, you’ll need to provide your criminal record or an official court letter explaining why it’s unavailable. Canadians need to go through the RCMP and get fingerprinted as part of this process.
When filing for an entry waiver, you must include court records for each conviction, no matter where or when they happened. You’ll also have to submit a personal statement explaining how you’ve reformed or rehabilitated, the circumstances of your criminal activities and punishment, and anything else you think might strengthen your case.
If you were previously found inadmissible for being in the U.S. illegally, you’ll have to do even more work. Expect to divulge employment histories, contact data for relatives in the U.S., business investments, and your international ties.
Conclusion
Criminal records are a huge hassle when it comes to planning trips. They can constrain where you go and how freely you travel abroad. They can also delay your plans by forcing you to adjust your schedule and find workarounds.
Seeking solutions like pardons and U.S. entry waivers is the best move. These official mechanisms exist for a reason — to help you travel. By applying ahead of time, you can improve your outlook dramatically. If you’re considering traveling to the U.S. with a criminal record, check your eligibility for a U.S. entry waiver here.