Can felons go to Dominican Republic? Yes. For most felons with a U.S. passport, there aren’t any restrictions. You should be able to enter the Dominican Republic as a tourist as long as you’re not listed on the Interpol database and your passport doesn’t identify you as a child sex offender.
Can Felons Go To Dominican Republic in 2024?
In most cases, felons can visit the Dominican Republic and experience all the beautiful Caribbean island has to offer.
The Dominican Republic doesn’t carry out background checks on visitors entering for short-term stays (less than 60 days), allowing you to enjoy a visa-free trip if you’re coming as a tourist.
What does “visa-free” mean? It’s the ability to enter a country without needing a special entry visa. Your U.S. passport lets you travel to 145 countries without extra visa requirements, and the Dominican Republic is one of them.
Visa-free travel is only available for tourism and business travel, though. If you’re planning to work or study in the country, you’ll need a visa, and at that point, you will need to disclose your criminal history.
What Checks To Expect When You Arrive In The Dominican Republic
When you land at the airport, immigration will scan and check your passport. If your passport has any special flags—like a child sex offender notice or an Interpol alert—they’ll show up here.
The Dominican Republic has a strict policy against admitting child sex offenders, so if you’re unsure about whether this applies to you, check your passport. Passports issued to offenders with convictions for sex offenses involving minors contain a unique visual identifier.
The Angel Watch Center will also notify the Dominican Republic of your travel plans in advance.
What Kind Of Felonies Are Reported To Interpol?
Typically, serious offenses like drug trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, money laundering, cybercrime, and human trafficking get reported to Interpol.
If there’s a Red Interpol Notice against your name, there’s an active alert for your arrest, and you will be detained if discovered. Red Notices are available to the public on the Interpol website, making it easy to check if you’re wanted.
A Green Notice on the other hand is an advisory that warns other countries of a potential public safety risk, but it’s not an arrest alert. Green notices are not made public. To know if you’ve got a Green Notice, you’ll need to contact Interpol.
If your record is flagged with a Green Notice, an immigration officer will ask you some questions before deciding whether to allow you to enter.
Does The Dominican Republic Tourist Card Ask About Convictions?
No, the tourist card you need to enter the Dominican Republic only collects basic information about you. Your airline or cruise line automatically processes the Dominican Republic tourist card for you when you book your trip.
Travelers will need to get a free E-Ticket, though. You’ll need one before arriving and another one before departing. Immigration may ask to see the E-Ticket’s QR code, so it’s good to have it ready on your phone, and your airline or cruise line may deny you boarding without one.
The E-Ticket, like the tourist card, doesn’t ask for criminal history, only details about your stay and personal information.
Can A Felon Travel To Dominican Republic On A Cruise?
Some cruise lines run background checks on guests, so your ability to take a Caribbean cruise to the Dominican Republic depends on the type of offense on your record and the cruise operator you book with.
Carnival Cruise Line, for example, runs background checks on guests after their booking is confirmed. Their background check policy says they look for violent crimes and sex offenses.
More information: https://www.carnival.com/legal/safety-security/guest-screening-policy
All cruise lines departing from the United States also submit their passenger list to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS screens passengers and flags anyone on their watch list or with outstanding warrants.
Can A Felon Go To Dominican Republic Without A Passport?
Yes, in some cases. If you’re on a closed-loop cruise—meaning the cruise starts and ends at the same U.S. port—you can visit the Dominican Republic with just a driver’s license and birth certificate instead of a passport.
For cruises starting at one port and ending at another, you’ll need a passport.
See the cruises you can take without a passport: https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/cruising-fun/how-to-plan/places-to-cruise-without-a-passport
Can Felons Go To The Dominican Republic For Work?
Can you go to Dominican Republic with a felony if you want to work there? Possibly.
If you want to take a job on the island, you’ll need a visa, and the application will ask about your criminal record. You’ll also be required to submit a police background check.
Wrapping Up
Can a felon travel to the Dominican Republic? The answer is generally yes for tourists staying less than 60 days, though entry can be denied to those with sex offenses or Interpol notices.
Going to the Dominican Republic for work will require a full visa application and a criminal background check.
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