Traveling With a Criminal Record: Can Felons Travel Outside Canada?

A criminal record does not automatically bar Canadians from travelling outside the country, but entry depends on each destination's rules. The United States can deny entry for certain offences, so travellers may need a US Entry Waiver, and a Canadian record suspension removes your record from CPIC to ease background checks abroad.

Canadian law does not prohibit felons from getting a passport, what is problematic is traveling outside the country with a criminal record.

Quick facts if you have a criminal record:

• You will likely need a Form I-192 US Entry Waiver to enter the United States, or a similar waiver from the country you intend to visit.
• A record suspension removes your criminal record from the police database (CPIC), which helps with visa and customs background checks.
• Over 140 countries offer visa-free travel for Canadians for up to 90 days.
• Most countries run a background check before issuing a visa.
• You can only travel outside Canada after you have completed your sentence, including parole and probation.

Travelling with a criminal record

Throughout the planet, a passport is your gateway out of the country. Because of that, not having one means that you cannot leave the country legally, or through official exit points such as airports or border crossings.

As mentioned, Canadian law does not restrict former prisoners or convicts from acquiring a passport and leaving the country. However, if the terms of your release or judgment restrict you from leaving the country, you may not be able to acquire a passport. Note: Convictions for misdemeanors or petty crimes will not result in travel restrictions.

Have you completed your sentence, or do you have a pending case?

If you have completed your sentence in Canada, you are free to apply for a passport and exit the country. However, if there is a pending court trial or if you are on parole or probation, immigration may deny your passport application.

On the other hand, if you have completed your sentence and are worried that your criminal record may affect the places you can and cannot go, you have the option to apply for a record suspension.

What is record suspension, and why should you get it?

According to the Parole Board of Canada, a record suspension, as the name suggests, is an application that allows people who have completed their sentence and demonstrated that they are law-abiding citizens to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other records in the police database. A record suspension does not erase or delete the conviction.

If successful, your record will be removed from CPIC (Canadian Police Information Centre), meaning your criminal information will not show up in the police database. This will make it easier to secure a passport or travel visa because your name will not show up in police records if officials in the country you are traveling to conduct a background check. It will also open educational and employment opportunities.

Who qualifies for record suspension in Canada?

You may be eligible for a record suspension if you were:

• Convicted of an offence under a federal act or regulation of Canada as an adult.
• Convicted of a crime in another country and transferred back to Canada to serve the sentence under the International Transfer of Offenders Act.

Note: people who received only an absolute discharge or a conditional discharge do not need to apply. The Criminal Records Act automatically removes that information from CPIC one year after an absolute discharge, or three years after a conditional discharge. Youth convicted in youth court also do not need to apply, since records from youth court are sealed or destroyed under the Youth Criminal Justice Act once the applicable time period has elapsed.

What to remember:

• A record suspension does not have any effect on prohibition orders.
• To apply for a record suspension, you must have completed your sentence, including probation orders, statutory release, conditional sentences, and imprisonment.
• The waiting period is five years for a summary conviction offence and ten years for an indictable offence, measured from the completion of the sentence.
• Record suspension makes your criminal record inaccessible to customs officials, law enforcement, and anyone who does not have written permission from Canada's Minister of Public Safety, or from you.
• People convicted of certain sexual offences against a minor listed in the Criminal Records Act's Schedule 1, or of more than three indictable offences each carrying a sentence of two years or more, are generally ineligible for a record suspension.

Traveling without a record suspension

As noted, if you have a criminal record and have not applied for record suspension, officials in the country you are traveling to will have access to your records. This can limit places you can and cannot go.

Travelling with a criminal record: Can Canadian felons get a passport?

Yes, but your criminal record may cause officials in the other country to deny you entry. Consequently, a passport is not enough.

Can a Canadian enter the US with a criminal record?

A pardon or record suspension is not enough to enter the US, especially if you were convicted of a felony. Therefore, to enter the US you will need an I-192 US Entry Waiver. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Form I-192, quote,

"Allows inadmissible nonimmigrant aliens to apply for advance permission to temporarily enter the United States."

You can download Form I-192 directly from USCIS.

What to remember:

• You need a copy of your criminal record, or a letter from the court explaining why it is unavailable. Canadians can request their own criminal record check through the RCMP.
• You must pay a filing fee; USCIS periodically adjusts the amount, so check the current Form I-192 fee on the USCIS fee schedule before you apply.
• A valid US waiver generally allows multiple entries into and exits from the US during its approval period, as specified on the waiver itself.

Why apply for an entry waiver if your record has been suspended?

The US and Canada share criminal databases. Consequently, if officials in the states run a background check, they may access your criminal record. And that might prompt them to deny you entry. A waiver allows entry even if you have a criminal record, that is why it is vital to apply for one if you are planning to travel to the states.

Travelling with a criminal record: What countries can felons travel to?

If you are from Canada, you may need special permission to enter some countries if you have a criminal record. Record suspension opens your travel options, so we recommend applying for one.

Countries that require a visa to enter

To enter some countries, you will need a visa. The issue is before they grant you an entry visa most countries check the applicant's criminal record. If the record is not suspended, it will show up prompting officials to deny you a visa.

However, not all countries require you to apply for a visa if you do not intend to stay for long periods. For example, if you are planning a trip to the European Union, you only need to apply for a visa if you intend to stay more than 90 days, though most visa-exempt travellers, including Canadians, will also need to apply for ETIAS screening once it takes effect (see below).

Requirements outside the EU have also tightened. As of February 25, 2026, Canadians visiting the United Kingdom need an approved UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they travel, even for a short visit; the Government of Canada's UK travel advisory confirms the requirement. The ETA application requires disclosing any criminal convictions, and a custodial sentence of twelve months or more results in mandatory refusal, while shorter or non-custodial convictions can still lead to refusal within twelve months of completing the sentence.

How do you know if a country requires an entry visa?

Country immigration laws change almost daily, because of that, the best thing to do before you make travel arrangements is to visit or call the embassy of the country you intend to visit and ask for their requirements. For a country-by-country starting point, the Government of Canada keeps an updated list of travel advisories and entry requirements for Canadians.

There are some rules or best practices you should follow when traveling with a criminal record. We recommend:

• Obtain a record suspension: once your criminal record is removed from CPIC, it will no longer show up in background checks.
• Do not falsify information or lie to foreign officials: lying in the application or to foreign immigration officials may land you in a foreign prison.
• If the country offers waivers for felons or inadmissible individuals, you should apply for one to avoid problems with local officials.

Travelling with a criminal record: Countries that do not require a visa to enter

Countries that do not require a visa to enter are less restrictive, meaning, all you need is a passport to enter.

Canada's passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to well over 140 countries for stays of up to 90 days, including much of Europe, Africa, South America, Asia, and the Middle East. That does not mean visa-free is requirement-free: if you are planning to stay longer than 90 days, or the destination has added its own electronic screening, it is in your best interest to get a waiver or consult with the embassy to understand the current terms and conditions of your stay.

What to remember:

• Once ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) takes effect, expected in late 2026, most visa-exempt travellers to the EU/Schengen area, including Canadians, will need to apply for one before departure.
• You will need financial evidence to show that you have enough funds to cover your stay.
• Proof of accommodation is often required.
• Travel insurance is often required or strongly recommended.

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