I was convicted of a felony over a tax issue in Jan. 2002. I did not serve any time in jail or prison but was on supervised probation for two years and unsupervised for three years which passed without incident. My question is that I would like to travel outside of the united states to Canada and much of Europe and especially Greece. I renewed my passport in January 2006 without any problem. Are there any restrictions for me to travel? I did go into Mexico by car without any problem. Thanks.

My idea is: As your probations were successfully completed, and you still have a passport, you are free to travel. If you weren't, one believes your passport would have been pulled... it is the property of the Dept. of State,. not you or I.

There are knowledgeable people here, whose opinions are more qualified than mine. Good luck.

It's not a question of leaving the US - which is the purpose of a passport. It's the question of getting into some other country that's the problem.

Canada does not allow people with felony convictions in the US into the country if that felony conviction is also a felony in Canada. For example, I have a friend with a felony DWI. He got turned back at the border even though he has completed probation because his name came up on the computer.

He has crossed in the past but apparently no one ran his name. Obviously lots of people get through - it depends if for whatever reason someone checks your name AND if you are in the computer.

I understand, you are correct. That would probably arise when he applies for a visa at whichever Consul or Embassy he is going to. In the past, some governments would give a two week visa at the airport of entrance, provided you were solvent, had a local address (a hotel reservation) and a return ticket. These days, one should apply for a visa before departure.

And for whatever reason Canada is getting tougher and tougher and more and more is showing up on their computer.

I have a pistol carry permit and I got questioned the last time I crossed because it showed up on the computer and they asked me if I had a firearm with me. I know you can't just walk into Canada with a gun and so, no, I didn't have it with me.

Who knew pistol permits were on an international computer?

OK, I'm going to answer this question once and for all in this thread, and then just reference people to it whenever the question is asked again. I'm doing it on this thread rather than any number of the other threads that appear on Google because it isn't a supernova of stupidity and totally clueless people speaking incorrect things in very declarative fashion, as if they knew what the heck they were talking about. I'm someone who does.

First off, there are NO prohibitions on the US side that prohibit a US Citizen with a felony conviction (obviously, free from parole or probation) from traveling internationally. Why would there be?

Where the prohibitions come into play are with the countries you seek to enter. Given our sharing a common border with Canada, the US has a reciprocal arrangement where Canadian border patrol officers have access to the FBI's NICS Database and our officers have access to the Canadian equivalent. Thus far, this arrangement ONLY extends to Canada and is why so many denials of entry occur there, which in turn seems to throw the whole question of international travel into question for Ex Offenders. The bad news is, if you're an ex-offender, barring your receiving a "Certificate of Rehabilitation" from the Canadian Embassy (non-refundable application fees for which can start at $1000), you ain't getting into Canada.

The good news is, there are plenty of other places where you CAN go.
There are some countries that are fussy about this; Australia and Britain being examples- I've heard Greece is similarly hard-lined about this- however, the only thing that happens is you're asked at the point of entry. If you're REALLY insistent on going there, you can just tell them no (no, there is nothing 'encoded' into your passport that outlines your criminal background), but be aware that if for some reason Scotland Yard is running routine checks on recently entered passengers with INTERPOL and you did 3 years in the Fed for a drug charge, they will issue a warrant for your arrest.

Other nations are MUCH more laid back about the whole thing, to the point of it being a total non issue. Most Latin American countries, most European countries, most all African countries... The idea that you're confined to this country after a slip-up with the law is just totally absurd and has no basis in reality, however, there are some additional considerations you have to undertake.

The one caveat I make to this post is an that things change very quickly and to be frank (this is my opinion, but with a strong basis in fact), in the age of terrorism, I believe the days of 'disintegrated' Point Of Entry information is rapidly coming to a close. Just like the last century saw countries sign a patchwork of extradition treaties to the point that there is no longer a country where you can 'run and hide', we too will see the day when reciprocal border-information treaties like the one between US and Canada are standardized between the US and other places. When this happens, the window of opportunity for people with a ding on their record to travel freely will likely come to a close.

OK, I'm going to answer this question once and for all in this thread, and then just reference people to it whenever the question is asked again. I'm doing it on this thread rather than any number of the other threads that appear on Google because it isn't a supernova of stupidity and totally clueless people speaking incorrect things in very declarative fashion, as if they knew what the heck they were talking about. I'm someone who does.

First off, there are NO prohibitions on the US side that prohibit a US Citizen with a felony conviction (obviously, free from parole or probation) from traveling internationally. Why would there be?

Where the prohibitions come into play are with the countries you seek to enter. Given our sharing a common border with Canada, the US has a reciprocal arrangement where Canadian border patrol officers have access to the FBI's NICS Database and our officers have access to the Canadian equivalent. Thus far, this arrangement ONLY extends to Canada and is why so many denials of entry occur there, which in turn seems to throw the whole question of international travel into question for Ex Offenders. The bad news is, if you're an ex-offender, barring your receiving a "Certificate of Rehabilitation" from the Canadian Embassy (non-refundable application fees for which can start at $1000), you ain't getting into Canada.

The good news is, there are plenty of other places where you CAN go.
There are some countries that are fussy about this; Australia and Britain being examples- I've heard Greece is similarly hard-lined about this- however, the only thing that happens is you're asked at the point of entry. If you're REALLY insistent on going there, you can just tell them no (no, there is nothing 'encoded' into your passport that outlines your criminal background), but be aware that if for some reason Scotland Yard is running routine checks on recently entered passengers with INTERPOL and you did 3 years in the Fed for a drug charge, they will issue a warrant for your arrest.

Other nations are MUCH more laid back about the whole thing, to the point of it being a total non issue. Most Latin American countries, most European countries, most all African countries... The idea that you're confined to this country after a slip-up with the law is just totally absurd and has no basis in reality, however, there are some additional considerations you have to undertake.

The one caveat I make to this post is an that things change very quickly and to be frank (this is my opinion, but with a strong basis in fact), in the age of terrorism, I believe the days of 'disintegrated' Point Of Entry information is rapidly coming to a close. Just like the last century saw countries sign a patchwork of extradition treaties to the point that there is no longer a country where you can 'run and hide', we too will see the day when reciprocal border-information treaties like the one between US and Canada are standardized between the US and other places. When this happens, the window of opportunity for people with a ding on their record to travel freely will likely come to a close.

The reason you got questioned wasn't because it 'showed up on a computer' and if they said that, they were lying. The "do you have any firearms" question is totally standard.

I'm former US Customs/Immigration - the carry permit showed up on the computer. They asked if I had a firearm with me; I said I did not; THEY SAID I had a permit; I said I do. I was then questioned.

Obviously for whatever reason they took extra time to run my name. Maybe I was part of the "license plate combo of the day" on that particular date. Maybe they were only stopping certain vehicles. Maybe they got a tip. I have no idea.

I only know how the scenario went.

Links to support what I am saying...
(PS... Change XXX to WWW)
Felons get passports, YES... Barring you are not a convicted drug trafficker who cross international borders to commit said crime.
Xxx.travelinsurancereview.net/2010/04/20/international-laws-can-a-convicted-felon-travel-outside-the-us/

What Countries can a felon go to without denial... Just read this... Canada is pretty much a no... They just suck... Sorry.

Xxx.ehow.com/facts_7605484_foreign-felon-go-usa-passport.html

But once you get a passport, you can go pretty much anywhere without issues except for China, Japan, Australia, and Fiji(no vacations for a while!! )
You CAN get access to those countries.. But lost of paperwork and pre-approval must be performed.

THIS IS THE ANSWER OVER ALL!!

Please don't quote other sites, other people, who may or may not be knowledgeable on THIS site.

Here's how it goes:

"To begin, in Canada a DUI is a felony and therefore an excludable offense under the Immigration Act. A DUI is an indictable offense in Canada that may be punished by imprisonment for up to a 5 year term.¹

Anyone with a conviction in the United States that is treated as a felony or indictable offense in Canada is excludable from Canada, but even if the offense is not a felony or indictable offense in Canada, Customs and Immigration Officers have ultimate authority to permit and deny entry to Canada.²

Almost all convictions (including DUI, DWI, reckless driving, negligent driving, misdemeanor drug possession, all felonies, domestic violence (assault IV), shoplifting, theft, etc) can make a person inadmissible to Canada, regardless of when they occurred. For this reason, it is not recommended that persons with past convictions attempt to enter Canada without first obtaining necessary documents. It is always the final decision of officers at ports of entry to decide whether a person should be allowed into Canada.³ "

Traveling to Canada

Are you one person with two user names?

I have heard that as of Jan 1, 2012 any convicted felon will be unable to enter Mexico does anyone know if this is fact or fiction?

Hey thanks for the info. I guess certain people just can't understand. I was reading as I have a felony from 2005 aggravated robbery. Did my time and moved on. I have a passport and just got back from Belieze. I'm trying to get expunged, but very costly and troublesome. I understand rules, I am suppose to go to S. Korea for a few days for work and I didn't know if I can go with a current U.S. passport?
What do you think? Reading, all I can find is them talking about a VISA, I'm just touring a plant and that's all. Please let me know.
Thanks.