The movie takes place in the future.  The premise is that, instead of
traveling long distances, people can electronically "exchange"
brains/personalities with someone else already in the distant
location.  In the movie, problems occur because one of the
transfer-people is a criminal and refuses to go back to get
re-transfered.

Hello.

It sounds like you're describing XChange (2000) starring Stephen
Baldwin and Kyle MacLachlan.

From a viewer review on Amazon.com:

"Not a bad sci-fi thriller. Imagine if you could exchange bodies with
another, your mind in their body and vice versa. That's the premise
behind this futuristic thriller. The movie starts off with with a
corporate business man in New York having to attend a meeting in LA on
short notice, so he must exchange minds with another. He is hesitant,
as he doesn't care for the technology, but he is given no choice by
his superior. Once his mind is in another body, he sort of enjoys the
benefits, but then finds out the person who is now inhabiting his body
in New York is really a corporate terrorist and has stolen his body by
not returning at the predesignated time for transfer."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000059HAX/

------
search strategy:
"exchange minds" movie

I hope "XChange" is the movie that you had in mind. If not, please let
me know via the "request clarification" feature.

Great, quick response.  (I believe) it's the right answer.

yes, that's it!

You can find out more about Xchange here: 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0242150/maindetails