International Megan’s Law – Travel issues becoming more prevalent for registrants.
In recent months we’ve seen an increase in members reporting difficulty traveling internationally. We’re also seeing countries that formerly admitted persons required to register, now turning them away. Just last month a member was denied entry into Greece, a country that was previously not off limits and a member of the European Union. It’s raising some concern over what will become over travel to the other 26 member countries of the EU.
We are also receiving information that the United States is taking a more active roll in blocking international travel by persons required to register. For example; US Department of Homeland Security Agents have pulled people off of airplanes in Florida before even departing, stating they were not able to enter the international destination. Also, the United States has opened 80 Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Offices in 53 countries internationally. HSI agents have been waiting for persons required to register when they land in the destination country and turning them right around before they even have a chance to speak with the receiving country’s immigration officer.
While the government denies they play any role in determining whether someone can enter a foreign country or restricting international travel. Their actions contradict that assertion. They also claim that the notices are merely information and are not intended to block someone’s entry, but in this training video, they acknowledge that the SMART Office has compiled a list of countries that persons required to register cannot go to (“However, what we know is that many countries have elected to not allow offenders to come into the country. And so with this notification that’s done in advance, then the country at the time that the offender were to come to the country can make that decision. But we also know that there are, again, as I said, some countries that are not accepting offenders. And we have a list of those.”).
FAC is calling on the national advocacy groups and their state affiliates to join forces with us in fighting back against IML.
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I see that HSI has offices in Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, and Israel, and Guatemala, among many others.
Countries that were not barring US registrants from travel, according to the Registrant Travel Matrix. Now I wonder whether HSI’s policy is to change that. Because if they are, then only a few island countries remain.
Hi Jacob, I will try to check on that – I fly to France soon. If no one meets me at the Paris airport, I may visit the U. S. Embassy and say “Hi”. 🤷🏻♂️
I’m flying to Rome via Amsterdam next month. Will also report.
Hi, I would like to ask hows your Netherland Trip? Is Netherland let you in?
I had absolutely no issues going into the Netherlands. They barely paid me any notice. My trip took me to Italy, which was wonderful.
I am ROS in NJ and planning to go to Greece or Spain and Portugal for 10days. I don’t have mark on my passport, does this country allow RSO to visit? Do this country has any restrictions or I should be aware of something. Please advise.
Thank you.
‘You need to check to see if HSI now has an office in your intended country or they will come to the airport to make sure that customs doesn’t wave you through.’
This is an important recent quote from someone in another discussion. It may have gotten lost in the shuffle. But if correct, you will need to pay attention to the information in the HSI link above.
I am very much interested in this,my last two years in prison I thought about leave the United States because of all the BS over us SO’s. I have checked their is no law (currently) that says we cannot get/receive a passport.At current time I am fighting FL./AL. for violation of court sentencing order. So would like any and all info in regarding this. Please thanks.
Hi Kevin,. Yes, you can get a U. S. passport when you are “off paper” (not sure about restrictions if one is stillbon parole or probation).
You can expect an unmarked passport at first. But my experienced assumption is that, after a few trips to foreign destinations, your regular passport will be revoked by the State Department and you will have to request a new passport which WILL HAVE the IML unique identifier on it. It appears to be that it is the actual overseas traveling that will eventually trigger the revocation. (If you go to the ACSOL website, you can see pics of what the IML identifier looks like.)
Also, be sure to read through the International Travel thread there. If has lots of info. 👍🏻
I believe that the IML unique identifier is only for those with minors in their offense.
I got my passport while on probation in Connecticut.
I believe I have mentioned this other times in comments on this site.
‘We have a list of countries not accepting offenders’ makes no sense. Is the list classified? What possible justification could there be to pay agents to turn people around, rather than just issue a list advising registrants not to travel there? Instead we have this guessing game where RTAG does their best to replicate a list that supposedly already exists.
If we need to pay a competent lawyer to make a FOIA request for this list, I will donate.
We don’t need a lawyer to perform a FOIA request. We can do it ourselves. Contact us if you want to be part of the “international travel subcommittee”
Meanwhile, a Senator in Arizona has been arrested and charged with 6 sexual offenses against a minor. I wonder what his voting record is on sex offense registry laws. See https://news.yahoo.com/arizona-state-senator-faces-6-170000944.html
The one variable we cannot account for in these reports is the actions and background of the individuals who were denied entry. If we were a homogeneous group, then we could make more blanket assumptions, however I would like to see perhaps our RTAG matrix set up a confidence factor based on some statistical calculations for all historical reports. Taking into account recent trends vs. historical is not a bad idea, however it would be a shame if one bad report caused many to avoid a great travel destination unnecessarily.
Agreed. I’m wondering if perhaps the registrant who was turned away from Greece was actually turned away because perhaps he did not submit a 21-day advance travel notification? The US Marshal Service regularly screens all air travel manifests for names and if his name showed up, with no 21-day notice, maybe they were the ones who decided that he would be met at the Greek airport and turned away.
DUDE…I GAVE OVER 30 DAY NOTICE…..THE GOVERNMENT OF GREECE FLAGGED ME BEFORE I ARRIVED….NO EXPLANATION BESIDES THAT I WAS A “S.O.” …TOTAL SHITSHOW..HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE..AS I STATED MONTHS AGO…CALL THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR BEFORE FLYING TO GREECE THEY ARE DENYING ENTRY TO S.O.’S