HIV travel restrictions

[bbzh]

I had never really given a lot of thought to the fact that there might be certain countries that HIV+ people cannot emigrate to:

http://mobile.aidsmap.com/Countries-and-their-restrictions/page/1504371/

And the scary part was that I had been seriously thinking about taking an international assignment until I learned that in some countries, mandatory HIV testing is required for stays of 3 months or more.

After reading this, I am even having second thoughts about flying to certain countries with my meds in my hand luggage without a doctor's note.

Boy have I been living under a rock.

[Saphykitten]

The world is always changing. Not always for the better

[Guest Matias47]

Up until the Obama administration, the United States was one of those countries.

[bonsaisai]

I have a Malaysian friend working and living in Singapore. He went for an HIV test out of suspicion and got a positive result. The health agency was obligated to report it to the government. He immediately lost his job, working permit, and was deported back to Malaysia within 30 days. Now he wants to enter Singapore as a tourist to visit friends (like thousands of Malaysian citizens do everyday), Singapore doesn't allow him--dragging its feet on its response to his request. What a Nazi state!

[Guest JizzDumpWI]

In USA, where exactly does this get recorded? Some association (electronically) made on passport or ???

[bbzh]

Thanks bonsaisai for sharing that story. It sent a chill up my spine because Singapore was on the short list of countries that I was thinking about. The consequences would have been massive. Talk about dodging a bullet! Now that I know this, I will be very careful about where I will consider living, visiting/spending my money.

@JizzDumpWI: I don't where/how such things get recorded but I think they always do. Data protection laws vary from country to country and I just assume that if it's recorded someplace, it can legally or illegally be shared. Besides, I heard firsthand from someone applying for a green card in the US that they ask all kinds of personal questions. And maybe they can't legally deny you on the HIV issue, but there's plenty of other ways to skin a cat. :-(

[Guest Matias47]

In USA, where exactly does this get recorded? Some association (electronically) made on passport or ???

HIV status used to be one of the questions on the form to obtain a visa and if someone applied for a green card or a stay for longer than 90 days you were given a medical exam that included an HIV test. If you were positive it would be noted in your file along with all of the other information you give to the government when travelling. Whether it was filed under a passport # or some other way -- that I don't know.

[Guest Matias47]

I just found this website with a few answers on the US situation.

http://law.duke.edu/sites/default/files/migrated_files/dl_file-aidsproject-400_01-readings-HIVBan_1.pdf