Country Data - PFR Guide

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REGION	COUNTRY	DENIED ENTRY*	LAW DENYING ENTRY	FELONS RESTRICTED	REGISTRY	NOTES
AMERICAS
Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda	No	No	No	No	NA
	Aruba	No	No	No	No	See trip report.
	Bahamas	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	In late 2023, the U.S. Embassy Nassau wrote that persons with U.S. criminal records or persons who are on parole should seek advice and clarification from Director of Immigration, The Bahamas Immigration Department, P.O. Box N – 831, Nassau, The Bahamas, immigration@bahamas.gov.bs and provide date of entry and exit, length of visit, lodging and conviction details, and current status. *Numerous requests to the email address above have gone unanswered.*
	Barbados	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	Prior written permission required to enter. The request can be submitted by mail, email or courier in a formal letter listing the dates of travel and any additional information to support your request. Attachments required are 1) a copy of the biodata page of your passport, 2) a recent police report from the state where the offense was committed, including the offense description, date of offense, sentence imposed, and 3) a clear scanned document from your registry entry reflecting the assigned tier or level. The packet should be submitted to The Chief Immigration Officer, Barbados Immigration Department, 'BTI' Corporate Center, Princess Alice Highway, Bridgetown, BB 11093, Barbados. Tel: 246.535.4164 and 246.832.4148.
	Cayman Islands	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Cuba	YES	No	No	No	NA
	Curacao	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	Curacao officials replied to a PFR request, "There will be no issues for you to enter Curaçao. If you haven’t committed any crime in Curaçao and are not a wanted person here, you shouldn’t have any inconveniences at arrival."
	Dominican Republic	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Haiti	YES	No	No	No	The U.S. Consulate, acspap@state.gov, stated in October 2023 that it has no control over who the Haitian government allows to enter and that, if you choose to enter and are arrested, there will be very little they can do to help. The country status for U.S. citizens is Ordered Departure. For those considering travel, it's Level 4: Do Not Travel.
	Jamaica	SEE NOTES	No	No	YES	In late 2023, the Jamaica Embassy confirmed that prior permission is required for entry. These documents must be submitted to Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) for felony convictions.
	Puerto Rico	No	No	No	YES	U.S. Territory. Current law does not appear to specifically address visiting the island; however, it does state that a person of another country who has been convicted of a sex offense or child abuse and resides in Puerto Rico is required to register not later than three days after arrival.
	Saint Lucia	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	In late 2023, Saint Lucia Consulate responded, "You won't be turned away. Simply go to the island and have a great time!" Please note that it is not the embassy that grants entry. You may want to visit Ministry of External Affairs for additional information.
	Saint Martin / Sint Maarten	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	See trip report. Entry possible with prior permission. In late 2022, Immigration and Border Protection Service responded to a Tier III citizen that, if no other crimes had been committed since the 1997 conviction, no further action is needed to enter the country.
	Trinidad and Tobago	No	No	No	YES	NA
	U. S. Virgin Islands	SEE NOTES	No	No	YES	If visiting St. Thomas, St. John or Water Islands, report to the VIDOJ on the 2nd Floor of the Government Employees Retirement System (GERS) Building (3438 Kronprindsens Gade, GERS Complex, St. Thomas, V.I. 00802). If visiting St. Croix, report to the VIDOJ at the Design Centre Building, 6040 Estate Castle Coakley. The PFR will be provided with a “Visiting Sexual Offender Notification Form,” which he or she will present to U.S. Customs, upon departing the Territory, as verification that the reporting requirements were met.
Central	Belize	YES	No	No	No	PFR denied entry at Belize City airport and returned to the U.S. the same day.
	Costa Rica	YES	No	No	No	In late 2023, Consulado de la República de Costa Rica en Washington responded that Costa Rican immigration officers have access to Interpol and other online information systems that could indicate a criminal record, even if it has been a long time. This could cause the immigration officer to decide not to allow entry. The final decision to allow entry or not will depend on each immigration officer. In general, serious crimes such as sex offender crimes do not allow entry to Costa Rica. For additional questions, contact Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería. See trip report.
	Guatemala	YES	No	No	No	See trip report. Travel Advisory - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
	Honduras	YES	No	No	No	Instituto Nacional de Migración de Honduras was unhelpful with specific guidance. Its documents state that entry is not permitted for those convicted for common crimes, but a definition could not be located. Travel Advisory - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
	Nicaragua	YES	No	No	No	Travel Advisory - Level 3: Reconsider Travel due to limited healthcare availability and arbitrary enforcement of laws. Exercise increased caution due to crime and wrongful detentions.
	Panama	YES	YES	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
North	Canada	YES	YES	YES	YES	Canada's Immigration Act specifically bars felons from entry. Other offenses that can keep a person from being able to enter Canada include reckless driving, misdemeanor drug possession, domestic violence and shoplifting. For more information on inadmissibility and overcoming criminal convictions to gain entry, please visit Canada Border Services Agency.
	Mexico	YES	YES	YES	No	Mexico's immigration officers (INM) are the only authority that can accept or refuse the entry of any traveller into Mexico. To clarify your particular situation, call or write INM. See trip reports.
South	Argentina	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	In late 2023, Consulado Argentino responded that holders of American ordinary passports do not require a visa to travel to the Argentine Republic for tourism purposes. As long as there is no international alert or arrest warrant, there should not be any restrictions. Nevertheless... it is advised that the admission to the country is the sole discretion of the migration officer at the first port of entry who could check backgrounds in the system on site.
	Brazil	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens. The State of Mato Grosso do Sul in western Brazil has a registry with limited public content.
	Chile	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Colombia	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Ecuador	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	Visit Migracion Ecuador, select Consultations on precautionary measures. Travel Advisory - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution due to civil unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
	Peru	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
ASIA PACIFIC
Asia	Armenia	No	No	No	No	NA
	Cambodia	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	China	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Hong Kong	YES	No	No	No	See trip report.
	India	YES	No	No	YES	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Indonesia	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	Consular Section Indonesian Consulate General stated in late 2024 that if the person is not blacklisted by the Indonesian government, they can visit. During the visa application, the immigration office will examine and determine if the person is eligible to enter Indonesia. Application can be made in advance online at Official e-Visa Website for Indonesia.
	Japan	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	In late 2023, Japan's Immigration Services Agency wrote, "...under Japanese Immigration Law, a person cannot enter Japan in the following cases: 1. Persons sentenced to imprisonment for more than 1 year (including suspension of a sentence) 2. Those who have been sentenced illegally by drug laws such as narcotics. 3. Those who illegally possess drugs, guns, etc. 4. Those who have been deported from Japan for the first: 5 years ５．Those who have been deported from Japan twice or more: 10 years ６．Denial of Landing: 1 year Entry/Return Procedures Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Korea (South)	YES	No	No	YES	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Laos	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Malaysia	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Nepal	No	No	No	No	May be contacted before departure.
	Philippines	YES	No	No	No	Foreign nationals are denied entry in accordance with the immigration act if “convicted or charged with crimes involving moral turpitude.”
	Singapore	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	In late 2023, Singapore Immigration responded, "Generally, the entry of visitors to Singapore is subjected to the prevailing public health as well as entry requirements and may be subject to interviews and additional checks as part of the entry assessment. The grant of entry to visitors is assessed and determined by ICA officers at the Singapore Checkpoints, depending on the merits of each visitor. We are unable to give prior confirmation on a visitor’s future entry." Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Taiwan	YES	No	No	YES	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Thailand	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Vietnam	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
Pacific	American Samoa	No	No	No	YES	U.S. Territory. Current law does not appear to address visiting the territory.
	Australia	YES	YES	YES	YES	NA
	Fiji	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	French Polynesia	No	No	No	No	Bora Bora and Tahiti.
	New Zealand	YES	YES	YES	YES	NA
EUROPE	Albania	No	No	No	YES	Registry is not public.
	Austria	No	No	No	No	See trip report.
	Croatia	No	No	No	No	NA
	Denmark	No	No	No	No	Just Facts Not Fear states this is a viable point of entry. See trip report.
	France	No	No	No	SEE NOTES	Registry for law enforcement only. Just Facts Not Fear states this is a viable point of entry.
	Germany	No	No	No	No	Just Facts Not Fear states this is a viable point of entry. See trip report.
	Greece	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Hungary	No	No	No	YES	See trip report. Very limited public access to its registry.
	Iceland	No	No	No	No	Just Facts Not Fear states this is a viable point of entry. See trip report.
	Ireland	SEE NOTES	YES	YES	YES	Policy is under separate, local control.
	Italy	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	Just Facts Not Fear states this may not be the best option for a point of entry. Italy has been bombarded with so many illegal immigrants and refugees from North Africa and the Middle East that they’ve toughened their stance on entry. See trip report.
	Kosovo	No	No	No	No	NA
	Netherlands	No	No	No	No	NA
	Portugal	No	No	No	SEE NOTES	Registry for law enforcement only. Just Facts Not Fear states this is a viable point of entry.
	Romania	No	No	No	No	NA
	Slovakia	No	No	No	No	See trip report.
	Slovenia	No	No	No	No	See trip report.
	Spain	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	See trip reports that reflect very different experiences. Just Facts Not Fear states this is no longer a viable point of entry due to immigration policy changes.
	Sweden	No	No	No	No	Just Facts Not Fear states this is a viable point of entry.
	Ukraine	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	United Kingdom	YES	YES	YES	YES	England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.
MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA
Middle East	Dubai	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Israel	SEE NOTES	No	No	No	May be interviewed and permitted to enter.
	Lebanon	No	No	No	No	NA
	Pakistan	No	No	No	YES	Registry information only available by SMS request.
	Turkey	YES	No	No	No	NA
	United Arab Emirates	YES	No	No	No	NA
Africa	Botswana	No	No	No	YES	PFR must report conviction upon entry and have information included in its registry.
	Ethiopia	YES	No	No	No	NA
	Egypt	YES	No	No	No	NA
	Kenya	YES	No	No	No	Unvalidated reports indicate entry has been denied to some U.S. citizens.
	Mauritius	No	No	No	YES	NA
	Morocco	YES	No	No	No	NA
	Rwanda	No	No	No	YES	NA
	Senegal	YES	SEE NOTES	No	No	American Citizens Services, U.S. Embassy Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, DakarACS@state.gov, replied, "There are no registration requirements in Senegal. We are unable to answer questions about admissibility to Senegal, as this is a matter of Senegalese law, handled by Senegalese authorities."
						*Some entry data provided by World Population Review.