These Celebrities Were Denied Entry to Countries Around the World—Here’s Why

Rachel ChangTue, August 4, 2026 at 2:20 PM UTC

0

Justin Bieber performs during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18, 2026.Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella

Private jets and million-dollar checks might make international travel an easy reality for some celebrities, but no matter how famous they are, they’re still subjected to the same, often-rigorous immigration and visa regulations as the rest of us. In fact, their public profiles may raise extra red flags, making international work and travel more complicated in some parts of the world.

Some celebs have reportedly faced temporary bans because messaging in their work contradicts international laws or cultural norms, while others have been told they’re not allowed to enter or perform in specific countries because of controversial or discriminatory behavior. Here are just a few public figures who’ve reportedly faced visa denials or bans altogether due to these factors and more.

01 of 05

Justin Bieber: China

Justin Bieber performs on the stage in concert at MasterCard Center on September 29, 2013 in Beijing, China.Credit: Visual China Group /Getty Images

Canadian singer Justin Bieber often travels the world to work on his music—he spent time in Iceland while working on Swag in 2015. But despite his Grammys, massive fan base, and international acclaim, there’s one place where the 32-year-old isn’t allowed to perform: China.

When a fan questioned why the global superstar wasn’t visiting China on the Asia leg of his “Purpose” tour in 2017, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture published a public statement saying, “Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer. In order to maintain order in the Chinese market and purify the Chinese performance environment, it is not suitable to bring in badly behaved entertainers.” (Unclear if being carried up the Great Wall of China by his security team in 2013 influenced their decision.)

The good news is the statement did leave the door open for a future visit: “We hope that as Justin Bieber matures, he can continue to improve his own words and actions, and truly become a singer beloved by the public.” The original statement is no longer live on the Bureau’s website, but in the nearly nine years that have passed since then, there has been no public overturn of the ban from Chinese officials.

02 of 05

Kanye West: United Kingdom

UK newspaper front pages and articles about Kanye West after he was blocked by the government from entering the UK on April 8, 2026 in London, England.Credit: Mark Case/Getty Images

Earlier this summer, Kanye West—known legally as Ye—was scheduled to headline all three nights of London’s annual rap and hip-hop music festival, Wireless Festival. But his Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) application was reportedly granted and then rescinded by the U.K.’s Home Office on the grounds that his presence “would not be conducive to the public good,” according to an April 2026 report by The Guardian. The controversial rapper’s booking for the festival had been highly scrutinized after he made several antisemitic remarks. The Wireless Festival was ultimately canceled and all festival-goers were offered refunds. It’s unclear how long the ban lasts or whether Ye will be allowed to enter the U.K. in the future.

03 of 05

Advertisement

Chris Brown: Australia

Chris Brown performs live on stage during Supafest 2012 at ANZ Stadium on April 15, 2012 in Sydney, Australia.Credit: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

In December 2015, Chris Brown had been scheduled to perform in Australia and New Zealand, but that leg of his “One Hell of a Nite” tour was canceled after his Australian visa was denied in September, due to his 2009 domestic violence conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna. At the time, CNN reported that Australian Minister for Women Michaelia Cash told reporters, “People need to understand—if you are going to commit domestic violence and then you want to travel around the world, there are going to be countries that say to you, ‘You cannot come in, because you are not of the character that we expect in Australia.’”

In recent years, fans have started various Change.org petitions hoping to reverse the decision, but his 2025 solo tour and current 2026 tour with Usher won’t travel to that part of the world. No reports about his Australian visa status have surfaced since.

04 of 05

Paris Hilton: Japan

Paris Hilton attends “Girls Graduation Night” to promote her brand “Honey Bunch” at No Name on February 27, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.Credit: Jun Sato/ Getty Images

While Paris Hilton was promoting her fashion and fragrance lines in 2010, she arrived at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) where immigration officials questioned her for six hours over the course of two days. The socialite had just pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge back in the U.S..

“I’m going back home, and I look forward to coming back to Japan in the future,” she told the press while boarding her private flight home. “I’m really tired.”

Japan has long had strict legislation against drug charges. “Paris understands and respects the rules and laws of the immigration authorities in Japan and fully wishes to cooperate with them,” her publicist said in a statement shared with the . It’s unclear whether the star has attempted to return to Japan since.

05 of 05

Akon: Sri Lanka

Akon waves to the crowd as he arrives at a promotional event in Mumbai on March 9, 2010 after not granted a visa to visit Sri Lanka for a sold-out concert.Credit: STRDEL/Getty Images

Before Akon even applied for a Sri Lankan visa in 2010 to perform an already-sold-out show, the government decided the rapper would be denied entry into the country, citing that his video for “Sexy B*tch” featuring women in bikinis dancing in front of a Buddha statue was controversial. (In Sri Lanka, the population is primarily Buddhist.) Outrage over the planned performance even sparked violent protests at the network offices of one of the show’s sponsors.

“Apart from this particular controversial video clip, some of Akon’s lyrics are not suitable for public articulation,” read a statement on the official government news portal, according to the BBC. Since then, there have been no reports of the rapper trying to enter the country.

on Travel & Leisure

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”