Can a felon get a passport? This is one of the most common questions asked us by our readers. Be it for personal travel or business purposes, this is one of the requirements. The quick answer is yes; a felon can get a passport unless the crime was treason (against the government) or passing secrets to a foreign enemy. But there are limitations, and paperwork is needed.
You need proof of citizenship or legal immigration status and a certified copy of your criminal record with all related court dispositions (a letter from the chief judge if you have no record). It’s generally not a problem for people who’ve been convicted of misdemeanors.
Can Felons Get a Passport?
You’re not alone if you’ve been convicted of a felony and wonder if you can still get a passport acceptance facility.
Felons are often confused about whether or not they can get a passport and how their criminal record might affect the process.
So the short answer is yes, felons may be able to get a passport. How easy it is to get one will depend on the type of felony you are convicted of and where you live.
If your felony conviction is still on appeal, you cannot get a passport because of the outstanding charges. However, if a court has finalized your conviction, you can apply for a passport from a passport agency.
The passport agency may ask you to provide your criminal background information as part of the passport application process. If you have questions about whether or not to disclose your criminal history, contact the U.S. Department of State’s National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.
What Felonies Disqualify You From Getting a Passport?
It’s a simple question with a super complicated answer!
The short version: some felonies can bar you from getting a passport.
The long version: depends on what the felony is, what your sentence was, and how much time has passed since your conviction.
But let’s not leave it at that! So we’re here to help.
There are a few different ways that a felony can affect your ability to get a passport. Some felonies will keep you from getting a passport, while others will not.
Two kinds of felonies will prevent you from getting a passport:
- You have been committed for an international drug trafficking crime and have served more than one year in prison due to that conviction. Or any other drug offenses and drug convictions, there is a chance of denial of a United States passport.
- You have unpaid child support, or if back child support is why you are on probation or parole. If this is the case, you might be able to get an emergency passport, but it’s important to note that it is only valid for one year, and you cannot renew it.
If you’re worried about how your felony might affect your application process, talk to an attorney before applying for your passport.
Several Felonies Will Disqualify a Person From Getting a Passport. These Include:
- Treason
- Murder
- Espionage
- Federal Drug charges
- Kidnapping
Can a Felon Get a Visa?
The visa application process can be frustrating and opaque for anyone with a criminal record. There’s little official information about how your criminal background will affect your visa application, and the entire process can seem shrouded in mystery.
When it comes to whether or not a felon can get a visa, the answer is: it depends. Different countries have different standards for what constitutes a felony and how that affects your ability to receive a visa.
The United States’ standards are stringent. If you have any felony drug charge or any other on your record, you will rarely get approved for a visa (and if you do, it will likely take years).
Most countries’ standards are laxer. Suppose you were convicted of a crime as an adolescent or only convicted of one minor offense outside of recent memory. In that case, you might still be eligible to travel there.
However, it’s important to note that regardless of the country in question, if you try to conceal your criminal history from the authorities when applying for a visa.
This will almost certainly result in the denial of your application. You will face direct and indirect consequences, which may affect your ability to apply again in the future.
It’s essential to know that the United States government has made it clear that they view anyone who engages in criminal activity as ineligible to receive a visa. If you have a felony on your record, you’re likely to be denied access automatically. However, there are some exceptions.
- If your felony was something like a DUI or small drug possession charge and it’s been more than seven years, you may still be eligible for a visa.
- If your felony was violent, or if the United States government believes you could pose a risk of terrorism or something else dangerous, you will not be eligible for a visa.
Can Convicted Felons Leave the Country?
The answer is complicated. In general, yes, you can leave the country as a felon. However, there is a lot of nuance to this question; factors like what you were convicted of and which countries you want to visit will play a part in your ability to travel internationally.
And if you’re on probation, you may have some restrictions on your ability to travel.
While there are no laws that expressly prohibit a convicted felon from leaving the country, there is a law banning anyone who has ever been convicted of committing an aggravated felony from returning to the United States.
Suppose you were convicted of an aggravated felony. In that case, you may not be able to return to the United States after leaving.
Other laws restrict a person’s ability to travel to a foreign country, and they can vary depending on your crime.
So it is best to consult with an experienced immigration attorney to determine whether or not you will be able to travel outside of the United States after being convicted of a crime.
What Countries Can a Convicted Felon Travel To?
You’re a convicted felon, and you know you can’t go to specific places in the U.S. You also see that you have to tell the authorities if you’re going to go somewhere new (or do anything else enjoyable). But what about other countries? Who’s allowed to visit them, and how do you get there?
The short answer is that this depends on the country. Some countries allow felons, but others are more strict about it. The first thing you should do is check with your parole officer or probation officer and find out if there are countries that are off-limits for you.
If so, don’t go there! Don’t even think about it! It doesn’t matter whether or not you’ve been convicted of any crimes in those places—you could still get in trouble for being there as a felon.
The next step is to go online and research each country individually. Find out what its policy on felons visiting is before planning your trip. You may need a visa, but this isn’t always the case. Some countries won’t require one if they allow felons entry into their territory without one at all times (like Canada or Mexico).
If you’re a convicted felon, you’ve wondered what countries you can travel to. The answer is: it depends on the countries’ rules where you want to travel.
There are three main types of countries when it comes to travel:
1) Countries that will deny entry to all U.S. citizens with a felony conviction,
2) Countries that don’t require a background check for visa applications, and
3) Countries that require a background check for visa applications but waive it for certain convictions.
Countries like Japan and Israel won’t let in any U.S. citizen with a felony on their record. So if this is the case for you, your best bet is to hold off on traveling there until you’ve received clemency.
However, countries like Portugal and Germany don’t require a background check when applying for a visa. So if your only conviction was for marijuana possession from way back in the day, it’s possible to get away with traveling there without disclosing anything.
You don’t have to be a convicted felon to want to travel, but the fact that you’re reading this article means you are one. And guess what? You can still travel! Yes, you!
First of all, let’s get some things out of the way:
Suppose you’ve been convicted of a crime in any state in the U.S.. In that case, federal law requires that your USA passport contain a notation indicating that you are “ineligible to travel.” If this is the case for you, and you want to try and get around it, you’ll need to file an appeal with your local office of the Department of State.
The following countries DO NOT bar entry based on felony conviction:
Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain
Can a Felon Travel to Europe?
If you’re a felon and you’ve been wondering if you can travel to Europe, the answer is yes!
You can travel to Europe as a felon. You need to make sure that you fill out your passport accurately and thoroughly, and you’ll be good to go.
One thing you’ll want to do before you get on that plane is look up an official list of the countries that make up Europe. When you fill out your passport, you can make sure that every one of them is listed there.
Some countries considered part of Europe include England, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia. If they aren’t all listed on your passport already, go ahead and add them in!
Then double-check the spelling of each of those countries—we wouldn’t want anyone getting lost based on a simple typo.
Your passport should also have an expiration date printed with a stamp.
Can a Felon Go to Mexico?
Yes, a felon can go to Mexico. Going to Mexico is not a crime for which a person has to disclose their status as a felon. A person with a felony record in the United States can go to Mexico whenever they want and stay there for as long as they wish, provided they have the proper paperwork.
However, getting back into the United States may be more difficult after being out of the country for an extended period. Suppose you plan on staying in Mexico for some time. In that case, you should talk with an immigration lawyer or government official about how that may affect your ability to re-enter the United States.
If you are caught trying to enter the United States without the proper documentation (e.g., visa or Green Card) or under pretenses (e.g., pretending not to be a felon), you can be deported and banned from entering the United States again.
Traveling abroad is possible even if you have been convicted of a felony. Still, it is essential to understand how travel could affect your future ability to travel and return to the United States. Traveling abroad while on probation or parole also has its own set of rules that you must follow; talk with your probation officer before making any plans regarding traveling abroad while
Can a Convicted Felon Travel to England?
You’ve committed a crime. You’ve done time. Now, you want to go to London and see Big Ben, the Tower of London, and Buckingham Palace. But can you?
Felons are not allowed to travel internationally unless they have permission to do so from the U.S. government and the country they wish to visit. If you’re a felon who is interested in traveling abroad, the first thing you need to do is check if your crime is something that would prohibit your ability to travel to England.
If your crime was related to drugs or violence, or if it involved terrorism or child abuse, there’s a good chance that it will be on England’s list of offenses that prevent admittance into their country. If your conviction was for something less serious—for instance, if your conviction is for a misdemeanor—you may still be able to travel there with some extra documentation.
The most important thing for felons who want to visit England is to have an up-to-date passport that doesn’t expire during your proposed travel period (and doesn’t include any stamps from countries where you aren’t permitted). In addition, all felons traveling abroad should make sure they have copies of their criminal records.
Can a Felon Go on a Cruise?
The answer is YES!
It depends on the situation.
If you are going on a domestic cruise, then yes. Typically, it would help if you had only been convicted of a misdemeanor to be able to go on a cruise. If you have committed a felony, you will typically not be able to go on the cruise.
However, if you have achieved either of these crimes, then there is still hope for you when it comes to being able to go on the cruise. The first thing you need to do is get permission from your probation officer or parole officer. You will need to get this permission in writing so that there is evidence.
When you arrive at the port where the cruise departs, you’ll need to show this and the other documents that prove you’ve been convicted of either crime. They will need to see that you have been given permission from your probation or parole officer before they allow you onto the ship. This process can take up to two days, so make sure you plan accordingly. Once they have verified everything, they will give you your ticket and let you board the ship without further issues.
Can an Ex Felon Get a Passport?
An ex-felon is somebody who has finished serving their sentence and a probation period for their crime. A person who has been convicted of a crime usually has paid any fines or restitution required as part of the punishment for their crime.
As long as ex-felons have fulfilled their sentence and probation terms, no law says they cannot get a new passport.
The only thing that might stop them from getting one would be owing child support payments or not being able to prove U.S. citizenship.
In some cases, having been convicted of certain crimes can prevent you from getting a valid passport.
If you are currently on parole or probation, you will not be able to get a valid passport until your term concludes. If you have committed any drug-related crimes in the past 15 years, this may also stop you from attaining a visa.
In rare cases, an ex-felon may have to petition the court to be able to travel outside the country. This is usually only required if the court placed special conditions on their sentence.
Final Words – Can a Felon Get a Passport?
While there are exemptions for those journalists, actors, and even politicians (WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is an example), most convicted felons, who have already paid their debt to society and are otherwise eligible to live life like everyone else, will be denied a passport.
Even if you’ve only been convicted of a misdemeanor, you’ll still be denied passport services unless you can provide solid evidence that your felony conviction does not run now and will not prohibit your travel in the future.
Unfortunately for felons, an existing passport can’t help you escape your legal problems. The United States does allow every law-abiding citizen to leave the country, so you’re allowed to travel—but only to other countries that will let you enter their international border.
It’s not something that you have to worry about. If you’ve never been convicted of a felony charge, you will get your passport with no problem whatsoever.
Passport denial application on the conviction alone, but felons need to ensure that no other factors prevent them from receiving their passport renewal.
Passports will not be issued until all additional requirements have been met, such as initiation of parole or completion of probation. Having your passport is important if you want to travel overseas.
By planning, you can begin work and research for your passport applications immediately after you have been convicted, thus allowing you to get your passport and enjoy a vacation or business travel overseas as soon as possible.