What Countries Can Felons Not Travel to?

In an attempt to protect civilians from criminal activities or threats of various crimes from outside, some countries prohibit people with felony convictions from traveling to their country. They definitely have strict laws that regulate this and prevent felons from being able to carry out the visa application process in the destination country, so they can’t visit.

But each destination country will have its own rules for determining which felonies are still acceptable and which are not at all. Sure, it’s important for those who have criminal records and need to travel to a country to learn more about this regulation, whether they can accept you or not.

Thankfully! We’ll show you some countries that do not permit felons to travel to them. And also, what individuals’ criminal records are totally prohibited from entering? Okay, let’s dive into our post below!

List of Countries That Don’t Allow Felons to Travel

Depending on the type and severity of the crime, people with serious felony convictions are not allowed to have passports and visas. This should not be a problem if your sentence has been completed or dismissed.

However, some countries keep considering such criminal records to be inexcusable, so they will reject felons from traveling to their countries. Well, the following are countries that deny entry to people convicted of a felony:

1. Australia

If you want to enter Australia and travel there, you shouldn’t have any criminal records, and the sentence cannot be up to 12 months or more. So, you will not be eligible to apply for a visa if you receive two 6-month sentences.

Sure, there are some specific offenses that can disqualify you from getting permission. Whether or not you can apply for a visa will depend on the discretion of the official who reviews the documents.

If you have committed an offense and it happened a long time ago and you have had a good reputation since then, you may still be able to get a visa. However, if your crime results in a prison sentence of one year or more, you will most likely not be allowed to travel to Australia.

2. Canada

People who are officially pardoned for crimes they have committed or are deemed to have been rehabilitated will likely be allowed to enter Canada. However, Canada will refuse entry to people with criminal histories, including those who have committed serious crimes resulting in a 10-year prison sentence.

People with criminal records who wish to enter Canada must wait until five years after their sentence is completed, and if so, they must show Canadian authorities that they have been released.

Even if they are accepted into and stay in Canada, they will be closely monitored to prevent them from committing crimes such as DIU, theft, murder, dangerous driving, assault, or certain drug-related offenses.

3. China

China actually denies people who have committed a felony that is considered a misdemeanor in their original country. China has a fundamentally different definition of what constitutes a crime than other countries.

It is known that China has strict legal systems and procedures that make it difficult to verify or recognize foreign criminal records. Apart from that, China also has cultural and moral reasons for rejecting the arrival of felons as a potential threat to national security, social stability, or its ideological values.

Reportedly, some felony convictions that cannot be tolerated in China include murder, human trafficking, drug-related offenses, manslaughter, theft, assault, and driving violations.

4. Cuba

Cuba is among the countries that deny entry for felons, especially from the United States. This was caused by the prolonged conflict since the Cuban Revolution in 1959, which caused the US to impose an economic embargo on Cuba and sever diplomatic relations.

Apart from being considered a potential threat to national security, Cuba also protects its tourism industry from negative external influences. That’s why Cuba has a strict visa policy and entry permits for felons.

Cuba can also deny entry to criminals who have committed certain felonies, particularly drug-related offenses. They also have the right to refuse entry to anyone for any reason at their discretion.

5. India

India is one of the countries that denies entry to felons who have felony convictions, such as theft, assault, manslaughter, DUI, driving violations, and certain drug-related offenses. India can also reject people who have committed crimes that are considered serious by Indian standards, including murder, rape, human trafficking, and terrorism.

That’s why India has a strict visa policy that requires all visitors to obtain a visa before entering the country and will ask about criminal records on its e-visitor application.

6. Iran

Due to its legal, political, and security situation, Iran actually does not allow felons to travel there. Iran may have a different definition of what constitutes a crime, in that it may deny the inclusion of felons that are considered misdemeanors in their country of origin.

In fact, Iran has a long-standing conflict with the United States and its allies, so it will reject felons, especially those from the United States, because this poses a threat to Iran if it detains US citizens who commit crimes in its country.

7. Israel

Israel is one of the countries that refuses the entry of felons into its country. To them, felons have the potential to commit offenses, and if their names are on the no-fly list maintained by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), they will suspect those felons of being terrorists.

Israel has requirements that all citizens wishing to travel there must fulfill, regardless of whether they are criminals or not. Felons who are permitted to enter under strict supervision may only visit for a maximum of 90 days. If so, then the background check will be carried out again.

8. Japan

Among all the countries that refuse entry to felons, Japan is the country with the strictest travel policy for felons. Whatever the type of felony committed, Japan will tolerantly prevent felons from obtaining visas, except for those who commit juvenile or non-violent offenses. Japan really refuses entry to people with minor and felony convictions.

Japan only allows visits of up to 90 days without a visa, and visitors who have been imprisoned for more than a year will likely be denied a visa. Japan has zero tolerance for immigrants suspected of being linked to drug crimes.

9. Kenya

Even though there’s no clear indication that felonies may result in the refusal of a visa, Kenya is one of the countries that also doesn’t allow felons to travel. But some sources reveal that some serious offenses that prevent felons from getting visas in Kenya include drug trafficking, murder, terrorism, or human trafficking.

If you’re a felon and need to travel to Kenya, you may have to consult with the Kenyan embassy in your country before applying for a visa. In addition, you must also be aware of the security situation in Kenya. To receive protection and security from Kenya, you may need to be enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

10. Macau

People who want to visit Macau should have a passport or a valid travel document for travel to Macau, according to the Macao Government Tourism Office. All visitors must hold a visa, except people from the countries that are exempt from a visa.

But it may not apply to felons. Before traveling to Macau, you may be required to complete an Arrivals Card, and there may be questions about criminal records. If you have criminal records, you may not be allowed to visit Macau. In fact, Macau is a special administrative region of China and follows the Chinese visa policy for most visitors. And, of course, China is among the countries that don’t allow felons to travel.

11. New Zealand

Under sections 15 and 16 of the Immigration Act, people with felony convictions will not be granted a visa if:

• You have been sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years or more.
• You were convicted of imprisonment in the past 10 years, for 12 months or more.
• You were involved in terrorist activities.
• You were involved in criminal or drug offenses, or an act of terrorism, in New Zealand.

And people who want to immigrate to New Zealand shouldn’t have committed a crime resulting in imprisonment in their original country for 12 months or longer within the past 10 years. No matter how long the sentence was imposed, those who were sentenced to five or more years in prison are also not allowed to travel in New Zealand.

12. Russia

Everyone who wants to travel to Russia must fill out a visa application and attach any criminal convictions to the form. If they have a serious criminal record, it may disqualify them from getting a visa.

To obtain a long-term visa, a person must pass a criminal background check, and a visa is not required to visit Russia for 90 days or less. If the Russian government finds a person has committed a new drug-related offense, especially if it results in a prison sentence, then he or she may be denied a visa.

13. South Africa

South Africa is one of the countries that can refuse entry to criminals who have committed crimes resulting in imprisonment in their home country for 12 months or more in the last ten years.

South Africa has security and moral reasons to deny entry to criminals deemed to be a potential threat to its national security, social stability, or ideological values. This country has a low tolerance for crimes such as drug-related offenses, murder, human trafficking, theft, assault, and driving violations, which are some of the most common crimes prohibiting travel to other countries.

14. Taiwan

Taiwan actually doesn’t allow felons to travel in since it is a special administrative region of China, and China denies entry to felons convicted of a crime. Well, Taiwan may also have a strong sense of justice and punishment and may not tolerate or forgive felons who have violated the law.

To protect its society from negative influences, Taiwan views felons who come from other countries as potential threats to its social stability, national security, or ideological values. There are some crimes that have a low tolerance from the Taiwan government, including drug-related offenses, murder, human trafficking, etc.

15. United Kingdom

Those who have previously been convicted of a criminal offense that carried a minimum sentence of 12 months in prison will usually be refused entry into the United Kingdom. Visitors who hold American passports don’t have a visa to travel in the United Kingdom.

However, for people with passports from countries that require a visa in advance in the UK, the government will perform a background check first. If they are caught having criminal records from the original country, they will not be allowed to visit the UK.

16. United States

People who have been convicted of crimes in their original countries are unlikely to be granted entrance or permanent residency. No matter what felonies they have committed, the United States government will define them as aggravated felonies, any offense that requires a prison sentence of one year or more in the person’s home country.

Some crimes that are unacceptable in the United States are moral crimes (violence) and drug offenses. Even if no penalties are imposed, if you admit to having committed the violation, you will definitely be refused entry.