New International Travel Guide for PFRs
In addition to ferreting through government websites, the Registrant Travel Action Group (RTAG) was a primary aggregator of information for those persons forced to register (PFR) seeking to travel internationally. It has been a year since RTAG posted updates. If someone is preparing to travel now, the information they seek needs to be accurate in the present.
A new website has appeared to provide this assistance. It is also a place to share updates and personal experiences. While not everyone can travel and fewer still can, or choose to travel internationally, those experiences often shape and color the understanding of difficult laws that are often necessary to successfully navigate these journeys legally and with minimized aggravation.
can someone post the website or link? when i put RTAG into google it brings up something for veterans
https://pfr.guide/
Try googling registrant travel matrix.
Click on “SOURCE” above.
You forgot to put the contact and website info for RTAG.
Click on “SOURCE” above.
You state that there is a new travel website. You did not mention the website
Click on the bottom left which says “SOURCE”
Well, with international travel, there will now be another stumbling block…travel visa’s that you’;; have to apply for…
Hong Kong needs to be changed to Yes. I was denied entry in August 2023 for being on the registry. I also know of other people who were also denied entry into Hong Kong.
Please contact the website by clicking on “SOURCE” above and let them know what happened to you. That is the purpose of the website.
when you were denied entry into Hong Kong did you fly back home or did you go to somewhere close that would let you in?
Thailand was a no. I travel there last year and was met at the off terminal and denied entry with 24vhours to return . It wasn’t fun.
Many of us go but you cannot go from the USA and it cannot be part of your travel notice. You would need to leave the country then decide to Visit.
Thanks FAC for posting this information.
It is another example of FAC helping us along this journey.
Thanks again
Sailtime
Countries such as Thailand and the Philippines have a sordid history of child sex crimes. There’s no way a PFR will be allowed entry even though it’s people who are not on the registry and employees of those governments that are the biggest problem. I wouldn’t even waste my time and money booking a trip there.
This was very informative. My husband and I have a cruise booked with MSC in March to the Bahamas, so he will be contacting their embassy today. Speaking of MSC, we contacted them prior to booking and they told us they don’t do background checks on passengers, but you are responsible for making sure the country you visit will let you in.( Just thought I’d share that info) Also, the travel matrix didn’t have Bermuda listed. Is there any information out there about that island’s requirements? Thank you again to whomever posted this information.
Please let us hear how it goes for your trip.
Thanks
Sailtime
I don’t know who you spoke to at MSC when they said they do not do background checks on their passengers but that is false information. First when you report to your local or state authority you are going on vacation and you give them all the information about your trip the first thing they do is inform where you are going who you are and what your charged with. That being said all cruise lines and so on know who you are before you arrive. the reality of any cruise line is they take it on a case by case basis and if you call the security team of any given cruise line with the exception of Disney they will let you know ahead of time if you can sail with them or not. Disney does not allow any RSO’s in their parks or ships. take it from me its better to talk to the security team and let them know your situation then arrive and have paid for everything just to get turned away. it is true about the ports you go to if you are allowed to sail you can try and depart the ship in certain islands/countries and you may get away with it but be prepared to be kept on the ship the whole time if your passport or ID is checked at each port because again the people you tell your leaving the country let each port know that you may be coming to their area and what time etc…i am speaking from experience. people from the cruise lines will say anything to get you to buy the ticket and when they deny you entry they will not refund you the money it took to get to them and back home and sometimes they will not refund your ticket because they say that you didn’t read the fine print or some nonsense like that
We called their customer service number and that’s what we were told. She said they don’t “screen” passengers. I also read their entire conditions of carriage and there is nothing about criminal background checks, checking law enforcement data bases or anything of that nature. Have you successfully sailed on any cruise lines? If so, which ones, because I will definitely keep those ones in mind for our next possible adventure.
the cruise lines themselves don’t check your background they are informed of it by your local authorities when you tell them where your going as all RSO’s have to do. for example i booked a virgin cruise with no problems. i informed my local sheriff which as a Florida resident on the registry you have to do 20 days before you depart. Once i gave the cruise information to the sheriff they put it in their system and the federal authorities and IML is notified of my trip and my charges. The federal agency informs your destination of who you are what your charges are and even pressure some of the places to stop you from traveling(i heard this from the people in Ukraine before the war) What that does is when you arrive at the ship at that point when they scan your electronic or paper ticket your charges come up and they make a decision based on that. Like i said in order to save you money and time just contact the security team of the airline present your case and get permission before booking the cruise. there is nothing like spending thousands and wasting hours to be turned away at the last minute.
Yes, there are cruises i have been on but i did what i am telling you to do and get permission first. I learned the hard way and the ship i booked without getting permission never refunded me the money for the cruise stating that i knew i wouldn’t be able to sail on their ship and tried to get on anyway(which of course was not true they just wanted my money) also if your traveling to another country if you want to know if you will be denied the best thing to do is purchase a one way ticket if you can. If the country is going to deny you they will stop you from getting on a plane to their destination most of the time. living in Florida we can fly straight through to almost any island or country in Europe. That being said i don’t know why most RSO’s don’t go to Europe more often they allow us and no one will hassle you while your there only when you fly back do you get hassled by our ICE/customs agents
https://registranttag.org/
I send a message using their contact form asking the status of the nearly two year outdated matrix and reports. If I get a response, I will post it here.
Personally, I will never travel to another country again.
JZ:
Paul is temporarily unavailable to update the site. This was and continues to be the best site for traveling registrants. Hopefully, someone will be able to handle it during Paul’s absence.
I find all these travel blogs including new to be very misleading because it’s never a one situation fits all what I can say is almost any country that gets a notice is going to hassle or turn you around. Don’t make advance plans pick a country that will allow you to enter and go to your destination many of us do travel this way and go to many if not all to the so called banned countries. I am always told this is a USA issue these countries don’t want the drama no notice they let you in. Land crossings are easier also. If you don’t want to put some effort in your travel and think simply to follow the rules to the T understand they are made to prevent you and are not fair nor implemented the same for everybody. I am not saying to break simply to follow the rules within the guidelines that allow you to get into and avoid getting hassled.
Anonymous:
None of these websites are perfect and none will definitely give you a yes or no answer. They are more for guidance and giving you the input of others. The most important thing is that they put a lot of information together in one place. Rtag is important because by Angel Watch’s own statistics about 1/2 of all people that they send notices on are refused entry into a country. RTag’s goal is that everyone knows the countries that they will be most likely turned away from so they take this into consideration when making travel plans. RTag isn’t perfect. It is only the best one out there at this point.
What are some of the banned countries you have been to? I’m trying to go to DR, Mexico and Jamaica. Any luck?
Sadly not something I believe is a good idea to be public about but I personally would not fly to those destinations directly from the USA as listed destinations with a travel notice. I believe it also makes a difference to immigration when considering if it was a adult victim or underage. Don’t risk a ban in those countries computers. It’s going to cost more money but you need to go someplace you know is ok and then decide other difficult destinations. I am in a private group of travelers and we all follow these rules with success. Personally I will never fly in Mexico probably from another country but I will go through the land crossing’s .
Consider another island to get to the DR and Jamaica. I have not been to Jamaica personally but I have been to the DR but not by.
Mexico is weird because if you fly into Mexico chances are high you may get rejected but if you fly to the border and walk over they rarely stop you from coming in and from their you take transportation to the city you want to visit. the tough part for most as you may know is coming back because they will I.D. You coming back to America but only to make sure your a united states citizen so a passport and drivers license should get you passed through easily. So if you want to go to Mexico fly to a border state and walk over is my advice i have known many to do it and not get stopped. Jamaica and DR are a definite No entry situations even if you get permission. The only decision that matters in those two places is the decision of border security or their ICE and they will not allow any RSO’s in. Good news is there are islands that are just as nice in that area that allow us.
Agree mostly however technically you still suppose to give 21 days notice and entry point of your intended entry. I know many people don’t but imagine getting arrested coming back when they don’t see your sorna travel notice. Some states might be different my experience is from Florida
i never said do not give your 21 day notice all i said is that when you enter Mexico from the United Sates they rarely stop anyone. so you could cross at a border state and tell the federal authorities 21 days before you enter that specific spot, and odds are you will still not get stopped entering Mexico. once your in Mexico you can travel to almost any city or location in mexico legally. If you are stopped coming back in and you are flagged you will get into no trouble as you reported your trip in advance or even better fly back from mexico to a city close to your home, that way all you will have to deal with is the usual hassle you get from our immigration department and be pulled out of line while they search your devices and let you go hours after they pull you aside.
I would not fly back from Mexico unless you have some people that have done this with no problems because it could be a issue to cause your ban in the future just my opinion
walk back across the border or fly you will be stopped so the chances of you getting banned by flight or walking across back into the united states are the same. that’s why i said fly because you are leaving Mexico not coming in and your ticket will be to your city not at a crossing on the border. The odds of you being banned leaving are far lower than they are of you trying to enter so walk in fly out is the best option. if they catch you on the flight out what are they going to do send you home? that’s where you are going anyhow
I will tell you how I could make a difference my friend works at the airport and one of the central American countries and he told me that the issue is flights leaving and coming into the country the manifest is downloaded into the computer and scanned now I’ve had mixed luck But why take the chance it seems that the whole airport procedure with the manifest and immigration is what causes most of the travel problems I would rather be safe than sorry once you get banned in Mexico you’re banned for life even if you get off the registry they’re going to deny you I’ve learned not to take chances anymore call me conservative but I was very aggressive before and I’ve been sent back numerous times it doesn’t happen anymore and I travel freely because I follow those principles