Having A DUI Could Prevent You From Visiting These Foreign Countries

Everybody loves to travel. The seats on airplanes are too small, the food is terrible, the drinks are overpriced, and they'll lose your luggage, but once you arrive at your destination, you're gonna have a great time. I suppose it's better to say that traveling might not be great, but visiting other countries is fantastic! That is, if you're allowed entry. Even American citizens, who generally get to travel to lots of different countries, even without a visa, can be denied entry to certain countries if they have a criminal record.

For this story, we're going to look at countries where you might not be able to get in if you have a DUI conviction on your record. A DUI is given for "driving under the influence" of alcohol or other drugs (but mostly alcohol), and it might have an impact on which countries you can visit. Some countries are strict about their rules, while others are a bit more relaxed. Oftentimes, whether you get to visit depends on the discretion of the immigration agent at the airport, so make sure to be on your best behavior and don't be sassy with them! Here are 10 countries where having a DUI could prevent you from getting to visit.

At first blush, a DUI is a misdemeanor, which is to say it's a lesser crime than a felony. However, multiple offenses, driving drunk with a child in the car, or other factors can elevate the crime to a felony, which can seriously hamper your chances of getting to travel to other countries without incident. If you want to visit Mexico, there are some things you'll want to keep in mind if you have a DUI conviction (or three) on your record.

However, even with a regular ol' misdemeanor DUI, there's a chance you won't be granted access to the veritable oceans of tequila waiting for you south of the border. It's really up to the border agent. There's no ironclad rule about it. If you have a bunch of DUI convictions or a felony conviction for the potential reasons listed above, you're gonna have a tougher time getting through the border. However, if you've already paid the price for your crime and you bring paperwork accounting for the resolution of your sentence, it probably shouldn't be too tough to get where you want to go. But if you shoot your mouth off, throw a tantrum, or get verbally combative at your border crossing, they can deny or rescind access to their country. So remember to always play nice!

Some countries take DUIs more seriously than others. Canada takes drunk driving crimes very seriously. In 2018, they raised the maximum penalty for a DUI conviction to 10 years in prison. Granted, you've got to have a serious offense to warrant the maximum penalty, but it's nevertheless a sign that they don't take these things lightly.

If you want to visit Canada with a DUI on your record, you may need to obtain a TRP, or Temporary Resident Permit. Another option would be to get Criminal Rehabilitation or Deemed Rehabilitation status, which will essentially "excuse" your crime in the eyes of Canadian immigration. However, "Deemed Rehabilitation" status only applies to DUIs from before 2018 because that's when the Canadian government cracked down on DUI law. There's always a chance you can get a TRP at the border, but that's a dice roll dependent on your border agent, your attitude, and the paperwork you bring with you. Maybe you'll get lucky, or maybe they'll kick you out. But at least they'll be polite about it when they turn you back from whence you came.

When we said it's up to the border agent to decide, that goes both ways. In relatively stricter countries like Canada, a lenient agent can get you through if you have the right attitude. On the other hand, a more lenient country could remain out of reach if you get stuck with a strict agent.

The United Kingdom is pretty relaxed compared to other countries when it comes to letting in visitors with DUI offenses. You can be denied access based on any conviction, but as is usually the case, it's up to each border agent to decide whether or not someone can enter their country. They say honesty is the best policy, so if you have a DUI on your record, don't lie about it. It's better to be open about anything they might see as a red flag than to have them uncover it themselves and put you in a corner.

Remember that "honesty is the best policy" rule? In countries like the United Kingdom, it's a good rule to follow, but in countries like South Africa, it's the law. Americans don't need a visa if their stay is fewer than 90 days, but if you're planning to stay longer, you must fill out a disclosure form indicating your criminal past, even if it's just a DUI. Failure to do so is a form of "lying by omission" and will hurt your chances of getting to stay in the country.

There's no law barring access to South Africa if you have a DUI on your record, as long as you don't try to hide it. That seems like a good way to live, even if it's a bummer that your DUI has to follow you around for your entire life. Even if you're not asked about your criminal record, you still need to disclose it, otherwise you might find yourself blocked from getting into the country.

Japan is another country Americans can visit without a visa, but even so, you can still get banned from it for any number of reasons, such as human trafficking and illegal possession of swords. One such violation is having any criminal conviction with a jail sentence of one year or more, so basically any felony conviction. They're also really strict on drug convictions and prostitution. I suppose it's also worth mentioning that anyone carrying an infectious disease can be denied entry to Japan.

Basically, if you've got a minor DUI, you're probably okay, but if it was severe enough for you to serve a full year in prison, you're likely out of luck. But if you have a marijuana conviction of any kind, that might be more of a deal-breaker for visiting majestic Mt. Fuji. Maybe that seems a little unfair, but as they say, "It is what it is." It's their country, so they get to make the rules. You want to make the rules? Make your own country!

If you think Japan is strict with its laws, you're not gonna love the United Arab Emirates. While a DUI technically isn't a deal-breaker, they're nevertheless very hard on alcohol-related offenses. They say it reflects poorly on the would-be visitor's "moral character" as not in line with the values of the country. If you have a DUI and want to visit the UAE, you might want to check in with your lawyer beforehand. Even then, though, you're still ultimately at the mercy of your border agent and their whims. It's up to you to do everything in your power to pass "the smell test," so to speak.

Of course, once you're there, you can get plenty of yummy cocktails, even if the country is technically beholden to its interpretation of Shariah law, which prohibits alcohol consumption. In practice, though, there are a ton of places for non-Muslims to get a drink (or five) in cities like Dubai. According to the World Health Organization, drinkers in the UAE consume twice as much as the annual global average, pacing ahead of the United States and Ireland. Make of that what you will.

Stop me if you've heard this one before. China doesn't look fondly upon DUI convictions, but they're not necessarily the end of the road if you want to get an up-close look at the Great Wall of China. As is often the case, it's the job of each border agent to take a look at the situation, size you up, and make their decision based on the information you provide and the information they dig up along the way. If your DUI resulted in a prison sentence of less than one year, you're probably fine, as long as you don't try to lie or cheat your way past the authorities.

If a DUI conviction isn't a death sentence to your travel plans, there's no reason to lie about it. If they do a background check, they will find out about it, and that will be much worse for you in the eyes of the border agent. You'll be in a much better position disclosing the truth and asking for mercy than trying to cover it up and apologizing when they inevitably find out. Believe us, they will find out. They always find out.

In order to get into Australia, you need to apply for a visa and disclose any criminal history, even (especially!) DUI crimes. You can get banned, even permanently banned, for DUI convictions that resulted in a jail sentence in excess of one year, but if that happens, you can still apply for a special waiver to get in anyway, but don't hold your breath on that one. Australia is surprisingly strict when it comes to letting anyone in, DUI or no. 

To that end, there's also a 19-page "character test" that would-be visitors will need to complete before they can gain access to Australia and all of its wonders, which, from my understanding, consists mainly of venomous insects and other dangerous animal-monsters. Because you can be rejected for "bad character," that basically means it's up to them whether or not you get to visit; even if you do everything right, they can still reject you. However, they do have to explain why you're rejected, and you have the option to appeal the decision, so rejection isn't necessarily the end of the story if you're willing to push forward with an appeal.

Like Australia, you have to prove that you're of sound "character" in order to enter New Zealand, though you can also get a "character waiver," and I frankly find it funny that such a thing exists, a document that essentially says, "you're bad, but we'll take you anyway."

Like with many countries, honesty is the best policy. If you willingly disclose any prior DUIs or other convictions, you'll be in better standing than if these offenses are discovered via a background check (remember, they'll always, always find out). While a DUI will certainly count against your chances of getting to enter the country, it won't be as harmful as lying about it. A little bit of upfront honesty shows "good character," and lying, even by omission, is an obvious sign of "bad character" and will count harshly against you when it comes to deciding if you're fit to take a "Lord of the Rings"-themed tour through the magical, mystical realm of New Zealand.

This last one is a bit tricky. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran haven't been great in recent decades, which makes travel a bit difficult for Americans looking to visit family, friends, or tourist destinations in Iran. There is no United States embassy in Iran, which means they don't have access to your (hopefully not too extensive) criminal record. The United States recommends against traveling to Iran, regardless of how often you drink and drive. It's also tricky to even fill out a visa application because you can't do it from the United States. Instead, you have to contact a tour operator in Iran and have them do the visa application process for you. If you're still dead set on visiting Iran, you can simply avoid disclosing your criminal record, but if you get caught in the lie via social media or a Google search, they're almost definitely going to deny you access to the country.

Another thing to keep note of is that, for Americans, you need to have an Iranian guide with you at all times, so if you're the type who likes to wander off on your own, walking toward a horizon and just seeing where the day's adventure takes you, Iran might not be the best place for you to visit.