Can Felons Travel to Mexico?

Mexico is one of the most beautiful countries in the world to visit. It has been a center of attraction for tourists for ages. A large part of global tourists have plans to visit Mexico once in their lifetime.

But can your past criminal record prevent you from visiting this amazing country? Thousands of felons in the US have this question in their minds.

A felon retains all rights to roam around the US after completing his imprisonment. Such a person has the authority to visit any state without any trouble or interruption.

When it comes to traveling abroad, however, several restrictions come in the way of the felon. A person with a history of a felony loses the rights to visit many countries. Mexico is at the top of the list of those countries. An ex-felon has to go through constant hardships before visiting Mexico. His chances of getting permission to visit the country are very low.

If you’re a felon and you plan on visiting Mexico, this article has all the information you need.

Can A Felon Get Permission To Visit Mexico?

Mexico is one of those countries that are quite strict when it comes to felon outsiders. The Mexican government authority allows limited foreign tourists to enter the country. The authority verifies the identity of the tourist and runs his background check as well.

They immediately restrict a tourist with a problematic background during immigration. You can in no way travel free across different locations in Mexico with a felony conviction.

Factors That Lower A Felon’s Chance To Get A Visa To Visit Mexico

As a felon, several factors can hold you back when getting a visit to visit Mexico.

Check out the following points to understand your eligibility in a better way-

These are the factors that can be crucial for a felon while getting foreign visas.

What Are The Required Documents For Visiting Mexico?

Did you know that tourists didn’t need a visa to enter Mexico before 2001? The 9/11 incident however changed everything. The US government and the Mexican government-mandated visas for entering their respective countries.

1 A Valid Passport

That means you have to carry a valid US passport along with a visa to secure your entry in Mexico. The Mexican government will conduct your identity verification as well. You will also have to carry supporting documents that validate your identity.

2 A Valid Visa

A tourist needs to provide his passport when applying for a Mexican tourist visa. Some tourists roam around the city without valid and authorized permits. They might get caught at different checking points all over the country. If caught without an authorized visa, you might find it difficult to get out of the situation.

What Kinds Of Felonies Prevent Individuals From Visiting Mexico?

The laws of Mexico don’t allow a foreigner with an ongoing criminal charge to enter. Any foreigner with a serious conviction against him is not eligible to get entry into Mexico. The Mexican immigration authorities have the permission to deport such individuals’ during immigration.

Here are a few felonies that stop felons from visiting Mexico-

1 The Mexican government considers any kind of violent crime as serious crimes. Local and international terrorism can cause a permanent ban on a felon’s entry in Mexico. Apart from this, the following crimes are also considered serious:

The government doesn’t allow felons with the above convictions entry into the country. The government assumes that such criminals can be a threat to citizens of Mexico. They can harm the social stability of the country. That’s why the government doesn’t give permissions to these types of criminals.

2 Criminals with accusations of drug-trafficking or drug-abuse don’t get a Mexican visa. The Mexican embassy of the United States terms such people as international criminals. So, they stand no right to get permission to visit the county. Criminals with convictions of exporting drugs outside the US can’t visit Mexico.

3 The Mexican government considers rapists, sexual offenders, and child abusers as serious criminals. Felons with a history of such crimes stand no chance of getting a Mexican visa.

What If A Felon Gets Inside Mexico In An Illegal Way?

Despite several official immigration restrictions, felons can enter Mexico using illegal methods. Some felons prepare fake passports and fake documents to visit the country. Such a felon can get inside Mexico and travel around different cities as well. Such methods however are risky.

The Mexican government has allotted many checkpoints in different cities. Roaming around the entire country won’t be safe for a felon who doesn’t have all the required documents.

If a felon manages to get a US passport along with a Mexican visa, he can get entry into Mexico with comfort. The Mexican immigration authority doesn’t have access to the criminal database of the United States. This is why the Mexican immigration authority can’t check the background of a US criminal.

Felons however need to get a US passport for that which is difficult. In case a felon gets arrested by the Mexican authorities, it will be very tough for him to get back to the United States.

The Mexican authority asks for other supportive documents as well besides passports. They can detain a person who fails to provide valid documents. In such a case, the criminal history of that felon might get unleashed.

The felon stands a high chance of facing harsh punishment. Making an illegal entry into Mexico seems easy. Such a thing however comes with a lot of consequences.

A felon might think of enjoying his holiday in Mexico after making an illegal way to the country. But the fun of a few days can cause a longer imprisonment sentence. This is not something a felon desires.

Conclusion

As a felon, you may have a desire to tour Mexico. Though the lawful chances of that are rare, you should try to get your dream fulfilled in a legal way. Adopting any illegal path to go to Mexico might lead you to more serious trouble.

A felon is always afraid of getting re-arrested. Unauthorized entry in Mexico can lead to an ex-felon getting arrested. That can increase the felon’s punishment’s severity. Try to get all your documents ready to visit Mexico legally.

Going on a holiday may seem like a refreshing change especially if it has been a while. It is however important not to get carried away and make decisions without considering the consequences. If your felony conviction prevents you from visiting, it is wisest not to visit the country for a couple of years.

Mexico does allow felons who have crossed seven years on their conviction. This makes it legal to travel to the country. Waiting a couple of years is better than doing something that will ruin a good standing, simply because you weren’t ready to wait.