# Travel

You can travel once supervision ends. Canada is the one that catches people, and it catches them at the airport.

## While you're on paper — Permission first

Leaving your district needs permission. Leaving the country needs more than permission and often gets denied.

After supervision ends, you can travel. Other countries are a different story.

## The one that catches people — Canada

Canada treats a criminal record as grounds to refuse entry, and they see your record at the border.

You can become admissible again. There are three routes: automatically, after enough time has passed for a single lesser offense; by applying for criminal rehabilitation; or by getting a temporary permit for one trip.

All of it takes paperwork and lead time.

Showing up at the border and hoping is how people get turned around at the airport with a nonrefundable ticket.

## Generally easier — Mexico and Europe

Mostly less trouble. Some countries ask, some don't, and rules change.

## Usually denied — Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

Both are usually denied with a felony conviction, though it depends on the offense and how long ago.

## The rule — Check before you book

Every time, for the first several years.

Getting a passport is a separate question and mostly a simpler one. That is in [Your rights, and when you get them back](/life-after-federal-prison/voting-guns-and-jury-duty).

### [Kids, community, and dating](/life-after-federal-prison/coaching-volunteering-and-dating)

Coaching, chaperoning, scouts. Almost all of it runs a background check. And you have to tell the people you date.

**Need help with this? Just ask.**

These pages cover the general rules. Your situation has details they don't. Email me a question. **Answers are free** , and "you don't need to pay anyone for this" is my most common answer.

[josh@federalprisondude.com](mailto:josh@federalprisondude.com?subject=Once%20you%27re%20out%20question)

I answer in the order received, usually within a couple of days. I have a day job. If your situation genuinely needs more than an email, I take a limited number of consults, so say so and we'll work it out.