India and Jamaica denying entry to registered sex offenders
Registrant Travel Action Group (http://registranttag.org) has updated it’s travel matrix to unfortunately reflect India and Jamaica as countries that are denying entry to individuals registered as sex offenders.
The link to their travel matrix can be found below.
My husband had offense over 25 yrs ago. He’s not on parole or probation has never been in trouble again.
We requested for permission to travel to Jamaica for our daughters wedding after months of waiting 5 days before we leave we received notice he was denied permission to enter.
It’s horrible!
Messed up
Who did you request permission from?
You are not required to request permission to travel, only notify the US that he is leaving the country.
I was told it wasn’t required but you can submit permission to consulate general in NYC. We submitted all the paper work in October then again in January because they said it was lost.
Now 5 days before we are to leave to our daughters wedding we got email that my husband wasn’t granted permission.
I responded to the consulate in NY trying to get clarification although office was closed FRIDAY- the weekend she emailed me today that the decision was upheld not to give permission by immigration of Jamaica but there’s no way she would of been able to contact them as office is closed.
We were going to take chance and still try as we will b with our daughter and fiancé who are getting married.
It’s so frustrating 25 years ago and this haunts my husband .
Has anyone recently gone to Jamaica?
By the way we only got letter from office that my husband checks in at our local police we didn’t report to USA office to mention he was traveling. What office would it be?
Thanks for your help
Went to Jamaica last year sept 2017 and my husband had no issues entering or leaving he country and is a RSO
Yes but was CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER stamped on his passport in big red letters as I understand they do now under international convention. I have never had a passport but am thinking of getting one now because I need to work and have a possibility of a new job but I have to travel out of the country for work. I am petrified of even showing up at a country where we don’t need a visa and that is listed on the chart as not restricting and then being sent home anyway,
Has there been anyone that hasn’t been turned away? Is it worth taking the risk? We are torn?
Figure if maybe they see us with our daughter and her wedding dress? My husbands offense was 24 years ago.
There have been people who have gotten in.
Contact Paul at Registrant Travel Action Group: http://registranttag.org/contact/
My fiancé tried to enter Jamaica and was denied. We bought the tickets when the matrix said that it was ok to enter it. We were very disappointed.
They turned us away! My husband will not be able to walk his daughter down the aisle in Jamaica or have the father daughter dance tomorrow.
After all the back and forth we decided to go and try. We all took flight together praying that my husband could talk to somebody we were with his daughter with the wedding dress and everything but NO.
We got sent on same plane.
The minute we landed in Jamaica while on plane they made an announcement With my husbands name to meet airport staff at gate.
One thing they were polite and respectful. They allowed us to walk with my husband. They took him for a moment to another room. I was hopeful since they were being nice. But they told me before they told him that he’s going back to USA and asked if I was going with him.
I wasn’t going to stay with out him. He was destroyed.
They said USA regulation they put pressure and made agreement that they cannot allow anyone with this type of record even if it’s been almost 25 years level 2 or any.
I’m so angry at the system! My husband has never had any other record. He took a plea when he was young didn’t know any better. He did make a mistake served 2 years.
I think they have to change something. If someone has gone so many years with out any offense, has gotten treatment, or evaluated they should be freed from this label.
What’s sad is I want to do something about it but i can’t expose my husband because he lives with this shame and fear!
It’s just messed up! They should tell you before you get on plane that this would happen!
We lost money, but most importantly we will miss thus very special wedding.
My step daughter and her fiancé were destroyed.
Anyway just needed to vent! Don’t even risk it!
This is very sad and wrong it has become to be that our own government has allowed them selves to destroy the constitution you are better off being a drug dealer selling drugs to the next door neighbor kids. No one cares even if they become drug addics or worst die
the us cant deny exit to nor entry to another country. its that country that can prevent entry. thats why rsos can get in the plane. theres nothing limiting them leaving the us but the destination can do as they please. these damn green notices just flag the unnecssary: do they prevent shoplifters coming into tourist countries??
I am so very sorry to hear this! I can only imagine how sad this situation is for you and your family. My fiancé was told the same and like you said, he was treated fine but they don’t even make exceptions. We also lost money and the possibility for my fiancé to meet my family who are not from the US and travelled to Jamaica in a cruise. We were dreaming with that moment and had thought about planning a quick wedding. And to make things worse he just received a letter to get his passport revoked. We think that the 21 day notice triggered it. He also made the mistake to plea guilty 17 years ago and he has never done anything after. It’s all so unfair and it’s hard not to feel deceived. I would like to talk to you Zaq, sometimes having somebody that is in a similar situation helps. It’s not like we can tell too many people about this and we are as affected as our significant others. I am sending you and your family a huge hug
This is so sad that that happened!! I’m upset with the system as well! In Colorado I heard a federal judge ruled the law unconstitutional. Last summer me & my boyfriend were denied entry to Cancun due to his record., from over 20 yrs ago. This really is cruel & unusual punishment which is considered unconstitutional. I wish we could bring everyone’s similar stories & band together and take this law to the Supreme Court!!! I cannot believe the types of offenses that land one one this registry!! Young love, mooning pranks!!! I would understand if one is actually a sex trafficker or convicted child rapist!!! However in several instances the actual crime is not to the degree where the rest of your life you are stigmatized and shamed for the rest of your life!! The law needs to be looked at !!
Then cases where a woman kills a toddler & ran over 2 men in Houston only gets probation! Will killers be on a registry for life??
My heartfelt regards go out to you guys as my wife and I have recently been turned around in Jamaica and went through a similar experience. We planned this trip for months and spent lots of money to only get there to be turned around on the same plane. My offense happened in 1989 when I was only 14 years old and unfortunately, this has haunted me for 29 years.
Vic – did you fill out a case consideration form on our site? If you are PRE 97 AND were a minor, you might be eligible for relief.
Question what site? My dad charge was 1972.
ZAQ—– I understand where you are coming from. I have been trying for 6mths to get my dad down to Jamaica. From 1986-1996 we lived there. His charge was over 40yrs ago did probation and registers every year and if anything changes immediately updates. I went on a website and emailed someone at the Embassy in Kingston they where responding but haven’t heard back from them in about 5 months. My dad is 73 and has advance stage Parkinson’s disease I just want him to have one more trip so he can tell all his friends goodbye.
Your husband and my dad has paid their debt to society but yet are continued to be punished. I think they should take in consideration that no other incident has happened.
I’m sorry your husband missed out on such a beautiful occasion. Hopefully they can do a renewing ceremony sometime so he gets to walk her down the isle and have the father daughter dance. Wishing you the best of luck
Frannie – is your dad in Florida?
No he isn’t he lives in West Virginia
I’m so sorry, but “they” did tell you before you got on the plane.
I so sympathize with you my offense happened when I was 16 took until I was almost 18 to be sentenced. My “LAWYER” advised I take a plea bargain SODA but i would have to go into the adult courts to do it. They promised me only 6 months. I was young and scared I agreed. Then on sentencing I was hit with FCR. And here I am 30 years later still RSO for a foot fetish at 16.
I father just recently tried to go to Jamaica he left Pittsburgh with no problem when he got to Miami they informed him that since he was a RSO that Jamaica wouldn’t let him on the island. The messed up thing is we lived down there on and off from 1985 to 1996 plus he has travelled several times since most recent 4/2017 this was to be his last trip due to failing health I hope I can do something to get his last wish granted
Who in Miami told him Jamaica would not let him in? I’m curious to know who made that decision on behalf of Jamaican immigration.
I’m pretty sure it was someone with customs. They pulled him aside and told him. He was heartbroken. I’ll ask him to be sure though and update you.
It was a flight attendant they pulled him aside and told him Jamaica wouldn’t let him on.
So he turned back on the warning of a flight attendant?
He might very well have been turned back, but if the ticket has already been paid for, why not try?
I think he did what he thought he should do. But I agree maybe he should have went on but I think he felt humiliated. He was a broken shell of a man when I picked him back up at Pittsburgh Airport. I’m exhausting every avenue at trying to get his last wish granted.
My husband and I went to Jamaica in 2012 with no problem. However Feb 2018 we went and he was denied entry based on a ‘new law.’ His offense was over 15 years ago and we explained that and they didn’t care and sent us back home.
You can kill a person and you are not treated as harsh as sex offenders are I’ve never been on probation my crime happened in 19 98. I live in Florida they said if they had our system I would be on the lowest or most non-threatening level because my crime looks like the least thing you could do and get on the list. None the less , last year I tried to go to the Philippines and was turned away when I got to the Philippines. I traveled 24 hours give or take an hour too and spent $1,300 on a ticket. Only to get to the Philippines and the people will not let me in. I have missionary friends who was to meet me there, that’s weird looking to help those are less fortunate in this world but they would not let me in. No one cares about registered sex offenders…I never been in trouble before that or after that. Ex military and no one cares.
I went to jamaica for 2 weeks in may/june of 2017 and was only asked where i am staying. No problems at all.
Just an FYI to bring everyone current on at least my travel experiences going into Jamaica. I successfully completed probation for my SO 9 years ago. I still am required to register (state law changed after my sentence from 20 to life to just “life” and there was no grandfathering the previous ruling) and have a good working relationship with the officer who tends to my quarterly registration. I let him know in advance of my travels so he could put in my travel information into the Interpol service as he has done on all my previous other international travel.
As many other’s experiences have been outlined in other areas, I was greeted at the gate by an immigration official before anyone else was allowed to deplane where they requested me by name (nothing like having my full given name being broadcast to the passengers on board), I was escorted to immigration, where I had a brief wait, met with an immigration officer, who asked me who I was traveling with and where I was staying. I was informed shortly thereafter that I was not going to be allowed to stay and was escorted back to the plane I arrived on.
Things I found interesting were – after I was questioned by the immigration officer, I was informed of my denial by the lady who escorted me to immigration from the airplane. After being told I was not allowed in, she then asked me what my offense was, if I served time and if I was still on probation. I find the questioning to be a bit odd since it really didn’t matter at that point – I was denied. So what was the purpose of the questions? Had I gone into great detail would that have changed my ability to enter the country?
I also noticed previous in this thread someone mentioned reaching out to Jamaica to ask to come to the country. Does that work at all? In looking at the rather long list of countries denying entry I wonder if there is (or couldn’t be) some type of process for petitioning for entry into any given country.
To me I find it utterly absurd that given a sentence and be ten, twenty, thirty – gasp forty years prior I’d still be denied? There really needs to be some method for petitioning a country for at least an opportunity to be heard?
Anyway – mark me down as denied as recent as 6/26/2018
Jamaica is a homophobic trashcan. I consider being denied entry there to be a bonus. Go to Puerto Rico and enjoy better beaches, food, and quality of people!
The scuba diving is also amazing!
Have some fun in the sun!
If you wanted to go to Jamaica are you allowed to enter if your passport doesn’t state you are but was just put on registery and your passport hasn’t expired yet which causes you to not note that you’ve registered on your passport
Registrants have been turned away from Jamaica. Apparently they respond to the green notices by denying entry.
What’s a green notice?
Warning from US Marshals to foreign countries that a sex offender is traveling there.
Per NORSOL recently a California RSO was the first to recieve a notification from the U.S. Government that his passport. Had been revoked and he was required to turn it in immediately they also stated that he was free to apply for a new passport containing the unique identifier if he so desired.
My fiancé received it too. We had to send it back to the department of state. Who would want a new one with the unique identifier? They make you wanna give up. It’s wrong in so many levels.
Yes definitely Laura
Thanks for your words zinahsamie At Gmail
what countries can you visit? I travelled last year to Turks & Caicos and to Jamaica. once arrived I was asked s few questions and they let me in. But travelled to Porta Vallarta Mexico and I was turned around once I got off the plan. I lost money and was humiliated on my way back I was wondering which countries allow entrance , so I wouldn’t loose any more . please provide a list if it’s possible
As I understand, Jamaica is now a no go; at least for some registrants also.
DRE when did you go to Jamaica?
Was it prior to October?
I don’t know if we should take our chances?
Would appreciate any suggestions
This happened to my husband and I last year while trying to take a long over due vacation to Puerto Vallarta – we were turned around at the airport and lost a huge amount of money. 6 months before we had gone to China for 10 days and that was fine – I don’t understand. This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary and looks like we won’t be able to go to Jamaica as hoped. Trying to do plenty of research before making any arrangements.
Happy Anniversary! I would suggest you guys reroute and go somewhere else. Maybe bahamas or Aruba. Or Europe. Jamaica is now a no go. Unfortunately…
Happy Anniversary! I’d head to Europe. Other than Great Britain, the Schengen countries don’t care about your status and value human rights and privacy. Even the rights of prior felons.
Does anyone know if countries such as Jamaica and Mexico deny entry to registered sex offenders specifically or anyone convicted of an offense even if they don’t have to register. Can someone travel to these countries after they’ve fulfilled their registration requirements and are no longer listed on registry? Does anyone know? Please advise and thank you in advance.
They are acting on Angel Watch green notices.
Are Angel Watch green notices sent out for anyone convicted of sex offenses or just REGISTERED offenders? Would Angel Watch still have your info if you’re no longer listed on state or federal registries? I’m wondering if they use a seperate database.
This is something that nobody really knows. According to the conferences by Janice belucci and Paul reigner, it seems like it’s only registered fellows. However, there have been cases in which people who are already off the registry are still having the notices sent. I guess it’s a case by case kind of deal and it might have to do with the involvement of a minor in the case.
Thank you Laura! I’ve consulted with an immigration lawyer and she couldn’t even give me a concrete answer. I discerned that she really doesn’t know herself.
I think the reason for that is the wording for the federal statute is that you’re considered registered for federal purposes if you would be required to register anywhere in the USA, and many states don’t have the apparatus to get off of the registry EVER so you stay federally registered even if your state takes you off. Just my somewhat learned opinion based on my years living with and researching this issue. I don’t think anyone truly understands it.
I spoke with Paul on this subject not been a member of the club since July 2006 Yea 1 of the first honorable Members…
he explained I not have an issue with it as so far I’ve been pulled in 1 time on my first trip out of the country and that was re-entry into US and it was cause I was flagged I explained to them I wasn’t a member of the club and there system is not updated he did checking and said ok let me go I was never pulled in again at US checkpoints for Reg Person, November of 2013 I filed Visa for my wife and It was US embassy in Philippines whom passed false Information to bureau of Immigration then I was blacklisted to make this story even longer I was allowed back in after I exposed the embassy and their dealings every now and then PH. immigration will stop me after i check threw and let in only then they will ask me where Im staying,
as for the question Angel watch a crap-shoot was released in July 2006 was told all my info was removed from public view and updated other data bases to reflect such, but the truth of it is, yes I was off public View BUT not out of LEOs reach 2008 was going threw nasty child custody after relationship of 18 yrs and a flyer Popped up in this court battle the flyer was printed off a computer at the office of “crimes against children at the sheriffs office pasco county and since it was obtained Illegally and it was to be updated in July of 2006 to be removed it had no bearing on my custody case and I still won full custody
with that said a crap-shoot.
It depends on what state you are registered in. I was told because of the year I was charged that I was not subject to international travel notification, but they thanked for me letting them know and logged in the state computer that I would be traveling for 10 days.
Good question Ray,,,,,,,,,,,anyone?
I would like a list of countries to that me and my boyfriend could visit due to his record. It really is so upsetting that an offense that occurred over 20 yrs ago follows one around the rest of their life, and that in so many cases the actual offense was actually minor.. like young love.. 25 yrs later people are changed!
I really wish that all the people with the these terrible experiences of being stigmatized for life could get this law changed!!! In Colorado I read a Federal judge did rule it unconstitutional! How can we take this to the Supreme Court??
Jenny – I’m in the same boat as everyone else and there should be a comment from me about being turned away in Jamaica this year.
The best resource I’ve found for where you can/can’t travel is at http://registranttag.org/resources/travel-matrix/
To me the world seems like it’s getting to be a much smaller place. At the same time I suspect the smaller islands aren’t as strict about it (no real evidence around that)…
What was your experience when you got Turks and cacios and did they let you enter. Please take the time to let me know.
Can you tell me more about your experience in Turks and cacios. Hope to go in December.”
I checked my offense isn’t illegal most of Europe. I wonder if the U.S. Government would consider a one time exit visa so we could at least move to a country that’s a lot more under of what a ex-offender is and what a ex-offender is not because they are refusing to get it here.
It is bad when the federal government makes up EX post facto rules and laws
I figure ine day that even after people get off their probation they will
Not be allowed to leave the county or state in which they live
I havnt been able to move from County of arrest. Since completing Probation 20 years ago.
There is no reason for that or law preventing someone not on probation from moving anywhere in the US.
That doesn’t make any sense. If you aren’t on probation or parole they cannot prevent you from moving. You notify your local registry office of your intent to change address, and check in at the new place within 72 hours by Florida statute, but the district you moved to if outside Florida may have a shorter check in timeframe. You aren’t asking for permission to move; you’re notifying them that you are moving.
The only hiccup could be residency restrictions at your destination, which you’d have to learn about and use due diligence when choosing a new home.
Their matrix is a Helpful resource. Thank you.
Any new word on the new passport identifiers?
Yes, there was a separate post. Look out for a notice from the Department of State informing you that you need to get a new one.
Just saw it. Thanks. Have a trip to Europe planned in a few months. Getting in there is never a problem but coming home is a nightmare.
The good news is that they don’t deny you re-entry into the US. They just usually take you into secondary screening, ask you a bunch of humiliating questions, go through your bags to ensure you’re not trafficking children, check to make sure you’re not wanted anyplace and then send you on your way.
I always tell whoever is picking me up at the airport to arrive an hour after the scheduled arrival time to accommodate this process. They usually wait longer anyhow.
I almost wish they would deny my re entry and send me back to Germany where my “offense” isn’t even illegal.