Sex Offenders Travel Guide

 Having to register as sex offender carries a stigma unlike any other punishment for a crime in this country. The same stigma applies regardless of the crime that the person committed. For example, a rapist shares the same fate as a man who as a teenager exposed himself as a high school prank. This stigma can make ordinary activities such as traveling abroad more difficult for registered sex offenders.






Can Sex Offender Travel?


Having a criminal record can significantly reduce your chances of traveling to other countries

If you are a U.S. citizen and have a U.S. passport, you are able to enter approximately 160 countries without first applying for a Visa. The good news is that means you don’t have to spend many hours before your trip to get approval from the other country you are interested in visiting. However, the bad news is that you will only know for a fact whether you can enter the country or not when you get to the customs checkpoint at the airport. If you are denied entry, the airline in which you used to enter the country must transport you back to your departure point.




There are many registered sex offenders that travel frequently and have not had any problems in the countries they have visited, however there are also many registered sex offenders who have been denied entry into those same countries without any explanation other than that they have a sex-related criminal history. Remember that one traveler’s experience may be different from another’s, so be sure to look at multiple accounts before you make your decision.



Interstate Travel

Depending on your status, you might need to inform your registration office before leaving the state, even if you’re just going on vacation. Contact the office before making plans in order to verify the extent of the information they’ll need from you. Those on parole or probation may not be able to leave the state at all, so check with your parole or probation officer before committing to any travel.




If the law permits you to travel, decide which state (or states) you’d like to visit. Each state is different in how it handles visiting sex offenders. Some states, such as Wisconsin, don’t require appeals to visit. Other states require notification that you are visiting before you head out. States like Nebraska need you to register if you plan on staying longer than 5 days, while Michigan requires registration after 10 days.





International Travel



Traveling internationally is a bit trickier, but it is possible. Sex offenders are not banned from international travel, but individual countries bar the entry of particular foreign criminal offenders. For example, Canada doesn’t allow people convicted of any felony from entering the country. Additionally, Congress passed H.R. 4573, or the International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking. This law requires that foreign governments be notified when a U.S. citizen convicted of sexual offenses involving a minor plans to travel to their country. Any person whose sex crime history involved children is required to have a marker on their passport identifying them as a sex offender. Look online for the travel policies of the countries you wish to visit before making your plans. Research as much as you can, because if the country denies you entry, you’ll have to turn around and go back home.




If you are interested in hiring an attorney to assist you with traveling  as a registered sex offender, contact one of sex crime defense lawyers.

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