While Red Notice removal is the goal of most of our INTERPOL clients, some INTERPOL subjects need assistance with the lesser-known Green Notice.

A reader recently wrote to Red Notice Law Journal with the following question:

“I am active in a non-profit legal advocacy organization, ACSOL (Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws) that represents the rights of those convicted of sex offenses and am researching as part of its efforts the use of Green Notices or Diffusions that may be used to limit their ability to travel.

My question is, Do Green Notices, like Red Notices, expire? If so, when do they expire? Also, are diffusions used in a similar capacity? Thank you!”

Before answering this question, it is necessary to understand why a Green Notice is requested and issued.

INTERPOL issues Green Notices when its member countries request them in order to provide a warning about a person’s criminal activities where the person is considered a possible threat to public safety.

Sexual offenses and illicit drug charges

As explained here on the Estlund Law website, Green Notices are used when one country wishes to notify other INTERPOL member countries that an individual may be likely to commit a specific crime in other countries. These Notices are often issued to prevent individuals with convictions of sexual offenses in one country from entering other countries. Similarly, when an individual has been convicted of drug trafficking, a member country may request a Green Notice to warn other countries.

In the next post, we’ll address the reader’s questions regarding expiration and the differences between diffusions and Green Notices.

As always, thoughts and comments are welcomed.