Country Trip Reports
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| Departure Date | Destination Country | Trip Details | Would you recommend this itinerary to others? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-06-23 | Mexico | Advised DHS in writing of our travel plans, including my DHS Control Number. DHS did not advise of any reason that entry to Mexico would be denied. On arrival in Cancun, was called off the Aeromexico flight, separated from my wife, held for an extended period by Cancun immigration officials, escorted by multiple police and immigration staff to a departing flight and returned to the U.S., leaving my wife behind for a week's vacation that could not be reimbursed. Interview staff was very cordial. Those separately accompanying my wife were exceptionally rude. In 2010, we flew to Cancun, rented a car, drove to Belize, vacationed for a week and departed from Cancun without incident. | No |
| 2016-08-20 | Sint Maarten | Entry on the Dutch side at the island's main airport. Traveled with my wife without incident at least three times since 2014 and before having my passport marked with the IML endorsement. Concerned there may be an issue after that, wrote immigration@sintmaartengov.org in late 2022, explaining my background. The response received was, "This crime has happened in 1997, if no other crimes has been committed after that year, no further action is needed to enter in Sint Maarten." | Yes |
| 2021-04-05 | Puerto Rico | WV PFR with no tier designation and no IML endorsement on passport. No problems while traveling and no scrutiny upon reentry to the US with my spouse. Have been to PR many times with no problems. | Yes |
| 2022-03-26 | Mexico | At the Boquillas Border crossing in Big Bend National Park, took a row boat across the Rio Grande into Mexico. Mexico does not have an immigration official at the crossing. There is an office in town you have to check in at, but only if it is open. Was there for a day trip on a day when it was closed, so there was no requirement (or ability) to check in with Mexican authorities. Upon return to the US my bag was searched and was free to go. | Maybe |
| 2022-06-04 | Iceland | Departed Dulles International Airport (IAD) on June 4. Had a short layover in Reykjavik, Iceland, and arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark, on June 5. On June 6 flew to Aarhus, Denmark. and stayed five nights. Flew back to Copenhagen and stayed one night. Flew to Reykjavik, Iceland, and stayed two nights. Had secondary screening in Iceland that consisted of opening and wiping down my carry-on. Had secondary screening upon arrival at IAD that consisted of asking about my travel time and destinations. | Yes |
| 2022-08-22 | Guatemala | Intercepted in the concourse by immigration officers and interrogated for an hour. Informed that entry was denied because of new law - no discretionary approval. Had entered the country about four times previously and each time was questioned and had bags searched but each time, but was allowed in. Was sequestered in a small room with about 10 other deportees. We all had to wait for a flight returning to our home country. Officers were polite but firm. | No |
| 2022-12-09 | Austria | Flew from Dulles (IAD) to Munich, Germany. Drove to Vienna, Austria. Took a ferry to Bratislava, Slovakia. Took train to Vienna, Austria. Flew from Vienna, Austria, to IAD. | Yes |
| 2023-02-11 | Spain | Flew from Raleigh to Philadelphia and to Madrid, Spain. Had no trouble at all in Madrid, no questioning whatsoever. Traveled by train to Malaga, Spain and had no trouble. Husband was stopped and questioned on our return in Philadelphia. They asked a few questions and let him go. As of today, he has not been asked to have his passport returned. He does not have a stamp on his, it is eight years old. Plan on traveling back to Spain again next year, so will see what happens then. | Yes |
| 2023-05-17 | Hong Kong | Traveled from DFW through NRT to HKG. Upon arrival, was separated from my wife and interviewed. Was refused entry and sent back on the next flight the following morning. Had previously been to Hong Kong on four other occasions without issue. Have an IML identifier on my passport and reported travel before arrival. | No |
| 2023-08-11 | Germany | No IML endorsement on passport. No issues processing through Germany immigration. | Yes |
| 2023-08-23 | Spain | Direct flight US - Spain. Have an IML stamp in passport and obeyed +21 day pre-registration of trip with state authorities. Upon arrival, detained 30 hours in airport, had deportation hearing, and was denied entry. Spanish authorities explained off the record that travelers with Angel Watch alerts will not be admitted to Spain for any travel. They welcomed me to return when/if the alert is removed. Registrants with an IML passport endorsement should not attempt travel to Spain. | No |
| 2023-11-22 | Spain | Flew from New York (JFK) on Delta Airlines to Barcelona, Spain for the Thanksgiving holidays. Had been to Spain many times in the past. My passport contains the IML identifier. Upon arrival in Barcelona, immigration didn't ask any questions and allowed entry. That was a change because on all other visits, was at least questioned. Upon attempting to return to the US, Spanish immigration detained me for about 20 minutes, asking the questions they typically asked upon entry. Was allowed to board the flight back to New York. Upon arrival in the US, was pulled aside at US immigration while they checked my passport. No luggage search and was free to go after five minutes. | Yes |
| 2023-12-10 | Hungary | Flew from Dulles Airport (IAD) to Budapest, Hungary, via Munich, Germany. Spent several days in Budapest. Took the train from Budapest to Ljubliana, Slovenia. No border control since both are in the Schengen zone. Flew from Ljubliana International Airport (LJU) to Dulles (IAD) via Frankfurt, Germany (FRA). Had a less than three- minute secondary document check completed by apologetic German police upon arrival at FRA. Had a secondary screening upon return to Dulles that consisted of asking about itinerary, length of trip and travel companions. Total time to make it through secondary screening, waiting plus screening, was 12 minutes. | Yes |
| 2023-12-23 | Bonaire | Level 3 with IML stamp. Flew from Aruba to Bonaire on the local airline. Immigration officer looked at passport, but doesn't even look at the back page and waves you through. Secondary screening when re-entering the U.S took less than two minutes. | Yes |
| 2023-12-23 | Aruba | Level 3 with IML stamp. No issues traveling to Aruba in 2019, 2022 and 2023. No questioning upon entering. Scan passport at an e-gate, look into the camera and you're through in 30 seconds without engaging with immigration personnel. Secondary screening when re-entering the U.S took less than two minutes. | Yes |
| 2023-12-27 | Italy | Off the registry since September 2018. Arrived in Rome and was pulled for secondary, interrogated about where I was staying in Palermo. I was let in, but the next night in Palermo, at 5 am, two police had me come down to the lobby with my passport for more questioning. Again they dismissed me after questioning. I'm not an Angel Watch candidate, so the US must be sending information overseas. In addition, I was also pulled out of line when leaving when the biometric scanner rejected me. This has never happened before. | Yes |
| 2024-01-01 | Spain | No IML endorsement on passport. No issues processing through Portugal or Spain immigration. Flew from Dallas to Philadelphia to Lisbon, Portugal to Gran Canaria, Spain. Returned from Gran Canaria to Lisbon to Philadelphia, ending trip in Dallas. Brief delay in Philadelphia for secondary inspection. | Yes |
| 2024-02-25 | Costa Rica | Going on a reward trip and was denied entry. Didn't have to register in my state but, because registered in a state that requires lifetime registration, was denied entry. | No |
| 2024-02-28 | Portugal | No IML endorsement on passport. No issues processing through Portugal immigration. Brief delay in Philadelphia for secondary inspection. | Yes |
| 2024-04-30 | France | Relieved of state registry requirements in 2021. Still show on website on state of conviction. No IML marking on passport, and not required to report travel. No issues departing or arriving. No secondary questioning. Stayed in France for almost 2 weeks. | Yes |
| 2024-07-01 | France | Entered France at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport with no interception by immigration or law enforcement. A 14-day stay in the French Alps village of La Bolline was absolutely pleasant. Coming back to USA was a bit more unsettling. At Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, French security firmly interviewed me at baggage check-in, which lasted 30 seconds. The security officer bid me a smooth trip home. Back in the US, was intercepted by immigration where they searched every inch of my carry-on bag and questioned me in a patronizing manner about my charge, arrest and conviction, attempting to intimidate me with re-arrest were they to "find anything on [my] laptop that [they] didn't like". After about 45 minutes, my carry-on and computer were returned and was released. Aside from the return experience, the trip was nothing but enjoyable, rewarding and unregretted! | Yes |
| 2024-08-24 | Sint Maarten | Entry on the Dutch side at the island's main airport. Sint Maarten immigration took about a minute to review our passports and was very cordial. Did confirm with immigration that would be permitted to re-enter. Traveled there several times without incident prior to having my passport contain the IML endorsement. On return, the lines for screening arriving international passengers in Atlanta took about an hour for everyone. Wait time to review our passports took a couple of minutes while the CBP agent typed an entry on his computer. | Yes |