Celebrities are not always exempt from the rules. Many stars have faced serious punishments such as life-long bans for inappropriate comments or behavior. When a public figure violates an organization’s guidelines, they are usually banned from using or attending said entity—from social media to awards ceremonies. In some more serious cases, a star violates the rules or beliefs of an entire country—and is banned from entering the nation.
It is common for an international celebrity to be momentarily detained by immigration services when attempting to enter a foreign country—eventually permitted to enter. However, countries reserve the right to completely bar any international traveler from entering. Although less common, some stars have received life-long travel bans from various countries, for various reasons. Certain celebrities have been banned from entering a country after publicly criticizing the area, others have been barred for their inappropriate or disruptive behavior and some for past felony charges. Keep scrolling to see nine celebrities who have been banned from entire countries, and why.
9 Justin Bieber - China
Justin Bieber was banned from performing in China due to his “bad behavior.” The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture explained the ban in a July 21, 2017, statement: “... 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.” New Yorker writer, Jiayang Fan, suggested that the vague statement may have been referencing the pop-singer's controversial behavior during his previous Asian tours.
8 Snoop Dogg - Norway
In 2012, Snoop Doggy Dogg was banned from entering Norway for two years. While on his way to Norway's Hove Festival, the rapper was found with eight grams of cannabis and an excessive amount of cash on his person. According to the BBC, Snoop Dog was permitted to perform at the festival but subsequently had to pay a fine and could not re-enter the country for two years. The rapper reportedly decided not to contest the charges but to live with the short ban.
7 Beyoncé - Malaysia
Queen Bey was forced to reschedule a concert in Malaysia after being banned from the country for alleged impropriety. According to the BBC, the popular singer was banned due to what the government considers to be immoral dress and behavior that promotes, “Western sexy performances." Beyoncé seems to remain a popular figure in the area, but Malaysian fans will have to travel out of the country to see the singer perform live.
6 Lady GaGa - China
While Lady GaGa is just one of many celebrities to be banned from entering China, unlike most, she was banned twice. The pop-singer was banned in 2011 for her outrageous persona and boundary-pushing fashion, which the government considered “vulgar.” In 2016, GaGa was banned for meeting with the Dalai Lama, who was banned from China in 1959. Following their meeting, the government issued a statement announcing the ban and ordering media outlets to cease broadcasting her content.
5 Chris Brown - United Kingdom
After pleading guilty to felony assault against Rihanna in 2009, Brown found that he was no longer welcome in the UK. The rapper was denied a visa to enter the country, and the Home Office released a statement saying, “We reserve the right to refuse entry to the UK to anyone guilty of a serious criminal offense.” In 2022, Brown performed in the country for the first time in twelve as one of the headliners at the Wireless festival, according to Daily Mail.
4 Elton John - Egypt
In 2010, Elton John was forced to cancel a private concert in Egypt when the country banned him due to his sexuality and his public comments on gay-rights. According to The Guardian, Mounir al-Wasimi, head of the Egyptian musicians' union, coordinated with authorities to cancel the concert and ban the singer. “How do we allow a homosexual who wants to ban religions, claims the prophet Eissa [Jesus] was homosexual and calls for Middle Eastern countries to allow gays to have sexual freedom,” Mounir el-Wasimi reportedly told the German Press Agency.
3 Richard Gere - China
Richard Gere was banned from entering China following his speech at the 1993 Oscars, during which he condemned the country for its treatment of Tibet. The actor continued to speak out for Tibetan rights after the speech and even traveled to the region and met the Dalai Lama. Due to his activism, the actor was blackballed in Hollywood by Chinese investors and banned from ever entering the country.
2 Alec Baldwin - Philippines
Alec Baldwin was banned from the Philippines after making an offensive joke on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2009. According to NBC Washington, the divorced actor was discussing his desire to have more kids and joked that he was, "thinking about getting a Filipino mail-order bride at this point … or a Russian one." Philippine Senator, Ramon Revilla, called Baldwin "arrogant" for his "insensitive and uncalled-for" comments and personally threatened the actor.
1 Rihanna - Senegal
Rihanna was unofficially banned from entering Senegal by a group of Islamic organizations known as No to Freemasonry and Homosexuality. According to The Guardian, the singer was set to attend an education conference in the country when the group petitioned the government to cancel the event and ban the singer. No to Freemasonry and Homosexuality believed that she was working in tandem with the Freemasons and the Illuminati to promote homosexuality. While she was never officially banned from the country, the group has made potential visits less safe.