You Can’t Run. And You Can’t Hide

It’s not something many of us consider, but with stringent rules and guidelines regarding immigration in place around the world, what is the experience like for people with a criminal past?

When you go travelling overseas it is a stressful time. You want to make sure you have the correct visa, paperwork, that you remember your passport, and whether or not you have anything that might be contraband or criminal in the country. But for those with a criminal history it is far more complicated. If you’re a person who has been previously convicted of a crime, but have served your sentence and no longer are on probation, have you repaid your debt to society? Should you be able to travel freely? For most countries, the answer is yes, however this can change from border to border, and there is a shocking amount of misinformation and misunderstanding by border officials.

It can depend on which official deals with your entry at the border that determines whether or not you are denied entry. Resources are not made available to many criminals about whether their history will deny them entry to specific countries. Obviously those serving probation are denied travel, but should those that have served their time continue to be punished? Unfortunately the answer to that question seems to be subjective, even for those working in immigration.