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International travel after conviction
- Thread starter ljh7435
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Cyclingtowork
Well Known Member
Hi,
From what I’ve looked into after my own conviction, in most cases a single drink driving offence doesn’t automatically stop you travelling — but it can depend on the country.
Canada is the main one people flag as being stricter, and you sometimes need to apply in advance. The US can also depend on circumstances. Most European countries generally aren’t an issue.
It might be worth checking the specific entry requirements for the countries involved in your new role, or speaking to the employer’s HR/travel team as they may have dealt with this before.
Try not to panic — plenty of people travel with a historic DD conviction, it just sometimes requires a bit of extra admin.
ljh7435
New Member
Thank you so much, you’ve been very helpful.
It would be the Middle East but also America.
I think like you say, I will speak to HR and make them aware.
sighingforlife
Established Member
I am still banned at the moment.
Since my conviction I have been to the US, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Morocco, and India. For India I had to disclose the conviction on the visa form and give details, did so, and the visa was approved a few days later with no further questioning. For the US I read the question on the ESTA a few times to be sure and determined I didn't need to declare it. Morocco I had to complete a landing card which didn't ask about convictions. The the EU countries, no need to declare it as it's not one of the offences they ask about.
My partner is going to work in Canada of all places for 2 months next year and ice already resigned myself to not seeing her for 2 months. The entry questions are unambiguous. I do believe it may be possible by entering the US first and then crossing the land border where an eTA isn't required in advance but there's a fair chance they'll ask the same questions as the eTA at the border and I'm not going to get myself lifetime barred from Canada by lying to a border official. Canada is the real tricky country when it comes to convictions as they are very strict. It may need declaring for a lot of other countries, I causing the US depending on the circumstances around your offence, but in my first hand experience with India, and the second hand experience I've gleamed from these forums, if you weren't given a custodial sentence then at worst you're in for some questioning on arrival, at best they just don't care (or they care, but not enough to deny you a visa I mean!)
There was even a post about car hire here somewhere and pretty much every car hire place in Iceland said something like everyone makes mistakes. Most foreign car hire places just want to know you have a current full licence and that's it.
Since my conviction I have been to the US, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Morocco, and India. For India I had to disclose the conviction on the visa form and give details, did so, and the visa was approved a few days later with no further questioning. For the US I read the question on the ESTA a few times to be sure and determined I didn't need to declare it. Morocco I had to complete a landing card which didn't ask about convictions. The the EU countries, no need to declare it as it's not one of the offences they ask about.
My partner is going to work in Canada of all places for 2 months next year and ice already resigned myself to not seeing her for 2 months. The entry questions are unambiguous. I do believe it may be possible by entering the US first and then crossing the land border where an eTA isn't required in advance but there's a fair chance they'll ask the same questions as the eTA at the border and I'm not going to get myself lifetime barred from Canada by lying to a border official. Canada is the real tricky country when it comes to convictions as they are very strict. It may need declaring for a lot of other countries, I causing the US depending on the circumstances around your offence, but in my first hand experience with India, and the second hand experience I've gleamed from these forums, if you weren't given a custodial sentence then at worst you're in for some questioning on arrival, at best they just don't care (or they care, but not enough to deny you a visa I mean!)
There was even a post about car hire here somewhere and pretty much every car hire place in Iceland said something like everyone makes mistakes. Most foreign car hire places just want to know you have a current full licence and that's it.
ljh7435
New Member
Awesome, great response. Thank you so much
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Daisybeau
Established Member
I’ve been to the Middle East loads since my conviction not had any problems
sighingforlife
Established Member
Do you mind sharing which country(s)? I only ask because I'm interested in Middle Eastern travel in 2027! (Saudi Arabia and UAE)I’ve been to the Middle East loads since my conviction not had any problems
Daisybeau
Established Member
No problem I have done Dubai, Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain all on tourist visas though so I may have gone off track as not work related. Had no problem at all. I do think in particular the UAE is rather relaxed with previous convictions and isolated DUIs don’t seem to cause any problems.
sighingforlife
Established Member
That's great to know, thanks!
alphabravo
Well Known Member
I can't give you any countries I can categorically say will have a problem because I've not come across them yet.
But I have travelled within Europe, USA, UAE and Belfast with my conviction never even being asked about.
Honestly, it's one of those things you give yourself such a hard time about and you catastrophise endlessly about at the time but really once you've served out your punishment you rarely have to worry about. Most embarrassing thing for me is handing over a clean CRB document (other than the DD) and feeling like I have to explain.
Look at the local paper once in a while to familiarise yourself with proper criminals.
Quick edit: all tourist visas but was in most places for an element of work
But I have travelled within Europe, USA, UAE and Belfast with my conviction never even being asked about.
Honestly, it's one of those things you give yourself such a hard time about and you catastrophise endlessly about at the time but really once you've served out your punishment you rarely have to worry about. Most embarrassing thing for me is handing over a clean CRB document (other than the DD) and feeling like I have to explain.
Look at the local paper once in a while to familiarise yourself with proper criminals.
Quick edit: all tourist visas but was in most places for an element of work
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