With a passport restriction, you may not be able to get a passport if you wish to travel. Even if you do, there are places you may not be able to visit. So you need to understand how your conviction will affect this part of your future.
There is no law that says a felon is not allowed to get a passport. So, more often than not, people who have been convicted can get passports issued to them. It is only in special cases that passports cannot be issued to felons.
When a felon is unable to obtain a passport
If you have been convicted of a felony, you can get a passport without any problems. But in these special cases, you may not be able to get one. And if you happen to already have a passport, you will not be able to use it due to the restrictions that will be placed on it.
- If you are awaiting trial
Your passport will be restricted if you are awaiting trial. This is because a guilty person could be trying to run away from the country before getting the legal punishment for the crime they committed. It will also complicate the process of legal proceedings if someone awaiting trial leaves the country.
- If you are on parole or probation
While on probation, you don’t need to serve jail time. But you will also have a passport restriction in order to keep you under proper supervision. The same also applies to a convicted person on parole. The only difference is that someone on parole has served a portion of their prison sentence. In either of these two cases, it would be unlawful to leave the country.
- If you are banned from leaving the country
Depending on the nature of your crime, you may be banned from leaving the country. For example, if you were arrested and charged with trafficking drugs across international borders, you would get a passport restriction.
If you committed an offense related to treason, you could also be banned from leaving the country. Other cases, like child support debt of over $2,500 and many other reasons, could get you a passport restriction.
Some countries don’t grant access to felons
Even if you get a passport and are able to travel and access international borders, you may not be able to enter certain countries. This is because when you have been convicted of certain crimes, you automatically lose access to certain countries.
Most of the crimes that affect international travel limits are related to drugs and violence. Even a country as close as Canada may refuse entry if you have been guilty of driving under the influence.
Don’t feel bad, though, because many other countries allow people with a criminal record into their borders. As it stands, only about 15 countries, including the USA, Canada, Argentina, Taiwan, South Africa, and the UK, disallow felons. Others will grant you a seamless entrance.
