Can a Felon Move Out of the Country?

Can You Move to Another Country with a Felony? You’re fresh out of prison and ready to jump-start your life. You may realize that many of your rights before conviction are gone. Most of these were important to your livelihood.

You have difficulty finding a job, you have difficulty finding a place to live. Many of your family members are not very supportive of you due to the broken trust of your crimes.

Let’s say you have family in another country. This is a great way to make a new start. Your felony conviction in the US will not follow you to another country. No one knows who you are, or what you’ve done.

It can be very difficult for a felon living in the US to live a normal and productive life. Are you willing to move completely out of the US? Is it even possible for you to do so?

The United States has one of the highest numbers of felons in the developed world. Once you released from prison, it may be difficult to lead a normal life again. Your right to vote, carry a firearm, and even your ability to apply for a job and get a house is gone.

How Do You Move Out of the Country?

Moving out of the country can be a tedious process for anyone. If you weren’t born in the country you’d like to move to you need to do your research.

The first thing you’ll have to do is to get a Passport. This allows you to travel outside of the US.

To get a Passport you must provide proof of where you’re born. You’ll also have to have your picture taken and explore the laws in the country your visiting.

Often you will have to get a VISA. This allows you to live in a country without having citizenship.

You can get a VISA to work in another country or even to go to school there. Having friends and family may be a great asset depending on where you’re traveling.

Another thing you must consider is your financial stability and housing. When you move where will you live and how will you earn an income?

Becoming a citizen of another country means you might have to learn new languages. You’ll also have to learn the country’s laws and the way people live.

If you are going somewhere that English isn’t spoken, you may want to learn their language. This will be something that you will need to succeed in citizenship.

Moving with a Felony

Contacting an immigration attorney may get you further when moving. An attorney will be able to help you get the paperwork you need and get through any laws that will keep you in the US. This may be difficult as you might not have the financial resources to hire someone.

Many countries have strict laws on immigration. These laws also vary depending on where you’d like to go. This is where the Immigration attorney will benefit you!

Obtaining your Passport may be difficult if you have a felony conviction. Although it is possible you will have to ensure you meet all the criteria.

To qualify for your passport, you will have to make sure that you have no more legal troubles. You won’t be able to get the document if you’re on probation or have warrants. You’ll have to pay your fines and complete probation or parole to move forward.

If you’ve already had a passport and it is 15 years old, or you got it as a child under the age of 16 you will have to get a new one. You will have to pay a fee and go in-person to a passport facility.

If you’d like to leave the country fast, you can apply for an Expedited Passport. There are criteria such as a dying family member that will qualify you for this. If you don’t have the option for an expedited Passport it can take anywhere from 8 days to 6 weeks to get it.

There are US territories that you can travel to without a passport or VISA. All you will need is a state-issued ID and sealed birth certificate.

You may not get your Passport if you have felony drug convictions or if you owe child support. Assuming you don’t owe any federal loans, you won’t have a problem with that.

Assessing your crimes and knowing what country you want to move to is vital in achieving your goals.

If you’re unsure of whether you can move to another country it is a good idea to contact an embassy. Most areas have an Embassy where you can find representatives of other countries.

Places like Australia, China, and Japan make American travelers have a VISA. This document makes you submit a background check to get. These countries will not allow you to enter if you have a felony.

If the country you’d like to move to won’t let you in, you can look into moving to another state. Felonies may only apply to you in the state you live in. The possibility to get your life back maybe a few hundred miles away.

Conclusion

It is possible for a felon in the US to get a passport and visit other countries. The important thing is that you research the country you would like to move to.

Some countries won’t allow you to leave the airport if you have a criminal history. Many places have special stipulations that prevent people with drug convictions from traveling. The concern is that you might bring drugs with you to their citizens.

Making a move to another country can be difficult for anyone. You will need to speak their language and live in a culture that is different than yours.

A felony conviction issued by your state may not travel with you to another state. If moving out of the country seems unattainable to you, try a new life within the US.

Moving to another country means you to have complete all your sentences and be free of any other troubles. The requirements to enter, work, and live in a certain country all vary.

Before traveling, you may want to contact the embassy of the country you would like to go to.