Sailing with expunged felony?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by fatherchronica

Maybe you should try going to a foreign land first that welcomes felons. Maybe Columbia, or the District of Columbia. Both chock full of felons, often in positions of wealth and power.

I don't want to let this get political, but I'd say off hand it describes a lot of Nations, US included

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Barry

[buzzstar]

Not having been in your position (the good or bad) my information is mostly apocryphal (friends with a life history similar to your own) with some direct observations in the mix. Your past could, but probably won't, cause difficulty. Just go. If you are circumnavigating, and encounter difficulty that you cannot overcome or are in a place where the effort does not make sense to you to try, just move on. A denial entry could cause problems down the road (if, for example, your passport is stamped, Entry Denied, or similar), but there are ways around that if it even occurs, but denials seem unlikely with the exceptions noted by earlier posters. Enjoy, with fair winds, and treatment too.

[Kita]

Ok,lots of good info but seems complicated.... I have a much simpler idea, just go to any local gun shop and buy a pistol. They will do a federal background check and if that comes up clean you are good brother

[Dougtiff]

Yep, Canada can be a bitch, i have a arrest record for marijuana that is like 20 year's ago, and can't enter Canada, been to Europa, Mexico, england, ect., with no problem, really sucks.

[Alan green]

Contact the embassy of an countries you intend to visit some eastern places like tywan Singapore can be strict

[Rudderless]

Originally Posted by Dougtiff

Yep, Canada can be a bitch, i have a arrest record for marijuana that is like 20 year's ago, and can't enter Canada, been to Europa, Mexico, england, ect., with no problem, really sucks.

I know we're legalizing or decriminalizing pot, or maybe we already have, though it seems we're going about it in possibly the stupidest way possible. Hopefully our government will change the rules to allow people with simple possession into the country.

As you can probably tell, I'm really not tuned into the whole thing, but I wish you luck. I failed a drug test once; I passed out before I could finish them all

[grantmc]

Your question is a very good one, but perhaps this forum isn’t the best place to find the answer. You will need to ask at each Embassy (or explore web sites). And it really is a country by country issue.

That said I can offer my own experience. But I am a New Zealander.
In NZ we have a similar system to the USA called the Clean Slate Scheme. The scheme means that under various conditions criminal convictions are concealed and within NZ one can answer no to the question, if asked, such as for a job application or when being questioned by the Police.

But the scheme does not cover overseas travel. When you travel to some countries you may need to give your full record. And we are advised to check with the embassy or consulate of the country we want to travel to.
And let’s be real here.

Can you imagine the consequences if I applied for a visa to the US and answered the question about criminal convictions No?

Someone in an earlier post mentioned that in many countries there’s no requirement for visas. NZ’ers enjoy visa free status with many countries too, including the USA. But what you will always find is that there will be eligibility conditions for ‘visa free’ and holding a criminal conviction is usually an exemption.

Again I am speaking as a New Zealander with our specific brand of legislation. Our records are not expunged. So if you receive a new conviction any old records go back on your record. Similarly there are a number of job roles that having a clean slate does not cover, including Police, Prison, Courts, Customs and of course anything to do with national security.

So could you, for example, under the US system, given your expunged records, apply for the newly vacated position at the FBI and have a real shot? I suspect not.

[tikirawker]

Originally Posted by fatherchronica

Maybe you should try going to a foreign land first that welcomes felons. Maybe Columbia, or the District of Columbia. Both chock full of felons, often in positions of wealth and power.

ColOmbia

[Arthur Garfield]

Just got off phone with MD Dr. friend in Seattle.He has "expunged felony" from when 18yo.
He tells me he skipped up to Canada for a weekend and when asked by Ca. immigration if he had EVER had any felony conviction he answered,yes.He was refused admission.He was made to get statements from law enforcement from EVERY state he has ever lived in to be able to have admission in the future.
What a PITA.If he had said no they would have let him in.Sounds Trumpian to me.
Moral-check with consulates of nations you plan to visit to see if something required. And yes,he has valid passport and has been to various european countries with zero problems but not asked if ever a felon.


All the Best

[Kerry1]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Canada is one of the tougher places for travelers with US passport and a prior.

This is the New Zealand question asked on the arrival forms:

Have you ever been sentenced to 12 months or more in prison, or
been deported, removed or excluded from any country at any time?

They say that locked doors are only for honest people. It may look silly to others to have the above question on NZ entry forms, but it's really just a test of current state of mind of the applicant. If they lie and say the record is clear when its not, then the NZ authority has perfect reason to refuse entry or at least question further. NZ has a part in the "5 Eyes" co-operative agreement which includes the US. Therefore they (I would imagine) have access to records of any people with a police record entering the country, just as the other countries in the accord reciprocate.

[Rudderless]

Originally Posted by Arthur Garfield

Just got off phone with MD Dr. friend in Seattle.He has "expunged felony" from when 18yo.
He tells me he skipped up to Canada for a weekend and when asked by Ca. immigration if he had EVER had any felony conviction he answered,yes.He was refused admission.He was made to get statements from law enforcement from EVERY state he has ever lived in to be able to have admission in the future.
What a PITA.If he had said no they would have let him in.Sounds Trumpian to me.
Moral-check with consulates of nations you plan to visit to see if something required. And yes,he has valid passport and has been to various european countries with zero problems but not asked if ever a felon.
All the Best

That's ridiculous. What the heck is wrong with Canada?

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Agree with donradcliffe. Take a trip to Canada. Take a trip to Mexico. Take a trip, maybe, to the Bahamas. Places where the expense and inconvenience is not so great that it ruins your year if you get turned away. If no problems with these test trips, then I would assume that you are good to go pretty much anywhere.

Bahamas is full of shadys

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by Kerry1

They say that locked doors are only for honest people. It may look silly to others to have the above question on NZ entry forms, but it's really just a test of current state of mind of the applicant. If they lie and say the record is clear when its not, then the NZ authority has perfect reason to refuse entry or at least question further. NZ has a part in the "5 Eyes" co-operative agreement which includes the US. Therefore they (I would imagine) have access to records of any people with a police record entering the country, just as the other countries in the accord reciprocate.

1. Agree about the 5 Eyes. But also I’ve also always presumed that all Interpol member countries have access to each others’ criminal conviction records.

2. Responding to the NZ arrival card question Kerry has pointed out above, the Australian Arrival Card has a much simpler question:
Do you have any criminal convictions? Yes or No

In theory, on our Kiwi passports we have free right of access to Oz. But if, as a Kiwi you have to answer the question yes, (even if one had qualified for Clean Slate) then at the border you’re then asked to fill in a form of the details of all convictions, the form is checked and if Immigration Officer is happy you’re granted a visa.

3. Many countries have similar arrival/visa application questions. One would be very unwise to lie.
Let’s keep in mind a criminal conviction has serious consequences, particularly for overseas travel. That’s how the system works. And we all know that don’t we?

4. And as citizens don’t we want to be protected from bad people? That’s why we have prisons. So why would we want our Governments to allow the bad people from other countries free entry?

That's not to say I don't have sympathy for young adults doing stupid stuff when they were young and dumb. But where do you draw the line? 15 y/o? 17? 21? Scientists tell us the brain isn't fully developed, particularly in respect to consequences till 25 years of age, so perhaps 25? And what crimes are ok? Petty theft? Drug possession? Date rape? And what about the victim?

And so it's a matter for each country to decide on their own entry requirements and eligibility.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by mfotis

I work for the State Department, (be clear I am not advising you on behalf of the State Department) you already have a valid passport, apply for the visas of where you want to go and go. It's that simple. Unless you're still wanted for something and wanted bad enough for the US to put out an Interpol hit most other coutnries can't see your US based criminal record, much less one that is expunged. Felons from the US get passports and travel all over the world all the time--unless they are convicted international drug traffickers--then not so much. there are other disqualifications as well but I'm pretty sure a no time served petty theft "conviction" isn't on the disqual list.

Good advice, bottom line just remember You are now Legal to Travel!

Accept that your history might come up via some old electronic database, but you are now in good standing.

In my late 20‘s I had a nightmarish situation, where a 'most wanted' IRA gun runner and armed Bank Robbery, had used my name as an alias.

So I became familiar with some very forceable detentions triggered by that alias.

It took about 3 years for me to get the FBI to update thier database to include my false positive, but I was mentally prepared to not react to guns being drawn when I crossed the US border.

It quite often surprised those who were travelling with me[emoji1]

[Seas the Day]

Originally Posted by mfotis

I work for the State Department, (be clear I am not advising you on behalf of the State Department) you already have a valid passport, apply for the visas of where you want to go and go. It's that simple. Unless you're still wanted for something and wanted bad enough for the US to put out an Interpol hit most other coutnries can't see your US based criminal record, much less one that is expunged. Felons from the US get passports and travel all over the world all the time--unless they are convicted international drug traffickers--then not so much. there are other disqualifications as well but I'm pretty sure a no time served petty theft "conviction" isn't on the disqual list.

As someone mentioned earlier for some countries you will be asked on your immigration entry form if you were ever convicted of a crime, etc. I'm pretty sure this is a question asked by the Australian authorities. Not sure of their response if you say 'yes'. I suggest you make a list of the countries you wish to travel to and give this to an appropriate lawyer to advise on each countries requirements and likely responses.

If you sailed into Sydney Harbour and were rejected by customs or what ever they call themselves nowadays you then have to sail thousands of miles to get to the next country. As the military say 'abide by the 7P's' - prior proper planning prevents p**s poor performance.