Felon Friendly Countries 2024 (Here's a complete list) (2024)

Are there any felon friendly countries? what are the best countries for ex felons? If you’re planning an overseas vacation or thinking about moving to another country for a fresh start, make sure your felony won’t ruin your plans. With 195 countries in the world, there’s a wide range of rules and regulations travelers need to follow.

Many countries allow short-term visa-free entry to U.S. passport holders and don’t ask for traveler’s criminal background information.
Some visa-free counties ask travelers to fill out an entry card on arrival and may ask about criminal convictions.
Some visa-free countries require travelers to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before traveling, which includes a criminal background check.
For countries requiring a visa, your felony could block your visa approval, but that’s not always the case.

Always check with an official source before you make any firm plans. You’ll find information on entry and visa requirements on the government website of the country you plan to visit.

Felon Friendly Countries In Europe For Short-Term Visits

What countries can you travel to with a felony in Europe? For travel purposes, Europe is divided into two categories. Countries inside the Schengen Area and countries outside the zone.

The Schengen Area currently includes 27 countries. U.S. passport holders enjoy visa-free access to the Schengen Area. Once you’re inside the Schengen Area, you can travel across internal borders without further checks.

Felons can travel freely to any other country in the Schengen Area as long as the total length of stay in the Schengen Area doesn’t exceed 90 days.

European countries that allow felons; The 27 European countries in the Schengen zone are:

Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland

Currently, having a criminal record will not result in being refused entry to these countries unless your felony is on the Interpol database and you’re deemed a security risk. Border officials are unlikely to ask you about your criminal record upon your arrival.

In 2024, ETIAS, a new travel authorization system is due to come online. The ETIAS travel authorization is valid for 3 years and allows travel throughout the Schengen Area.

The online ETIAS application asks you to disclose criminal convictions within the last 10 years as part of the approval process.

While having a more recent felony doesn’t mean your ETIAS application will be refused, you won’t receive instant approval through the automated system.

Can Felons Obtain Visas For Longer Stays In Europe?

If you need to stay in a European country longer than 90 days or plan to work or study, you’ll need a visa.

Each country has its own requirements, but having a criminal record won’t necessarily mean your visa application will be denied.

The United Kingdom has a strict policy on criminal records for visa applicants. A visa will be refused if the applicant:

Is the subject of a deportation order
Served a prison sentence of at least 4 years for a single offense
Served a prison sentence of between 12 months and 4 years, unless 10 years have passed since the completion of the sentence
Served a prison sentence of less than 12 months, unless 5 years have passed since completion of the sentence.

Germany is another country with strict visa rules. Germany doesn’t issue visas to applicants with a felony for a public order offense resulting in a prison sentence of 3 or more years, or a drug offense resulting in a prison sentence of 2 or more years.

Check the visa requirements for the country you want to enter to find out if your felony and the age of your offense make you ineligible for a visa.

Countries Felons Can Visit Visa Free In the Rest of The World

What countries can felons travel to without applying for a visa? Your U.S. passport allows you to enjoy the freedom of visa-free travel to 148 nations. Because you don’t need to apply for a visa, you’re unlikely to face entry restrictions unless your felony has been entered into Interpol’s database.

Traveling To Canada With A Felony

Canadian immigration officials have direct access to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.

Any felon trying to enter Canada will be refused entry at the border. Felons must have prior entry approval from the Canadian government using one of the following methods.

A Canada Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) allows entry for a specific period if you have a valid reason for traveling to Canada and meet the eligibility conditions.

Canadian Criminal Rehabilitation is available to felons who completed all sentencing requirements at least five years earlier. Rehabilitation approval takes at least one year. Once you’ve been given confirmation of approval, you will no longer face any issues at the Canadian border because of your felony.

Countries That Don’t Allow Felons

The following countries don’t allow felons to visit for tourism or other purposes:

China
Cuba
Egypt
India
Indonesia
Iran

Other countries may refuse your visa application if you don’t meet their eligibility requirements.

Summary

Because U.S. passport holders enjoy visa-free travel to so many countries, there’s a good chance that you won’t be asked about your felony when you arrive in one of those countries.

Before you travel, check the government website of the country you want to visit to find out if you need to complete an entry card on arrival or obtain an ETA in advance.

These countries are more likely to ask about your criminal history, although they may only refuse entry for serious offenses.

If you’re traveling to a country that doesn’t offer visa-free travel, or you require a visa because of the length of your stay or the purpose of your trip, you should expect the visa application to ask about criminal convictions. Depending on the immigration policy, your felony may result in a visa refusal.