Good character: caseworker guidance
Immigration staff guidance on assessing the good character requirement in nationality applications.
Documents
Details
UK Visas and Immigration guidance for staff on how to assess the good character requirement in relevant nationality applications.
ItThe appliesguidance to:
allhas decisionsbeen madeupdated onto orclarify afterthat 14applications Januarymade 2019after which10 areFebruary as2025 athat resultinclude ofillegal aentry person’swill associationnormally withbe warrefused crimescitizenship, orregardless extremism
allof newwhen applicationsthe forillegal citizenshipentry made on or after 14 January 2019occurred.
We are aware that this publication may have accessibility issues. We are reviewing it so that we can fix these.them.
Read more about our accessible documents policy.
Updates to this page
Published 27 July 2017
Last updated 3110 JulyFebruary 2023
2025
+ show all updates
-
Guidance updated to clarify that applications made after 10 February 2025 that include illegal entry will normally be refused citizenship, regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
-
Guidance updated to align criminality thresholds with those in part 9 of the Immigration Rules and to provide clarification on exceptional grants; lawful residence changes; UK and UN sanctions.
-
-
Added accessible and pdf of updated versions. Aligned with provisions on lawful residence introduced into the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA) by section 9 and Schedule 1 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA), and with differentiation of refugees in section 12 of the NABA 2022. There is also a new section on travel bans and clarification that a fine imposed under the coronavirus regulations counts as a fixed penalty notice. Finally, there is clarification that pending prosecutions include where a person is under investigation but has not yet been charged with an offence.
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Updated Good character: nationality policy guidance document
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Updated date in details section.
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Updated guidance.
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Updated guidance.
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-
Updated guidance on good character requirement published.
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-
Updated document.
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Update history
2025-02-13 17:24
Updated to add the date on page 49 to clarify that applications made after 10February 2025 that include illegal entry will ‘normally’ be refused citizenship,regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
2025-02-10 16:02
Guidance updated to clarify that applications made after 10 February 2025 that include illegal entry will normally be refused citizenship, regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
2023-07-31 14:03
Guidance updated to align criminality thresholds with those in part 9 of the Immigration Rules and to provide clarification on exceptional grants; lawful residence changes; UK and UN sanctions.
2022-09-20 15:23
Added accessible and pdf of updated versions. Aligned with provisions on lawful residence introduced into the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA) by section 9 and Schedule 1 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA), and with differentiation of refugees in section 12 of the NABA 2022. There is also a new section on travel bans and clarification that a fine imposed under the coronavirus regulations counts as a fixed penalty notice. Finally, there is clarification that pending prosecutions include where a person is under investigation but has not yet been charged with an offence.
Details
UK Visas and Immigration guidance for staff on how to assess the good character requirement in relevant nationality applications.
ItThe appliesguidance to:
allhas decisionsbeen madeupdated onto orclarify afterthat 14applications Januarymade 2019after which10 areFebruary as2025 athat resultinclude ofillegal aentry person’swill associationnormally withbe warrefused crimescitizenship, orregardless extremism
allof newwhen applicationsthe forillegal citizenshipentry made on or after 14 January 2019occurred.
We are aware that this publication may have accessibility issues. We are reviewing it so that we can fix these.them.
Read more about our accessible documents policy.
Updates to this page
Published 27 July 2017
Last updated 3110 JulyFebruary 2023
2025
+ show all updates
-
Guidance updated to clarify that applications made after 10 February 2025 that include illegal entry will normally be refused citizenship, regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
-
Guidance updated to align criminality thresholds with those in part 9 of the Immigration Rules and to provide clarification on exceptional grants; lawful residence changes; UK and UN sanctions.
-
-
Added accessible and pdf of updated versions. Aligned with provisions on lawful residence introduced into the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA) by section 9 and Schedule 1 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA), and with differentiation of refugees in section 12 of the NABA 2022. There is also a new section on travel bans and clarification that a fine imposed under the coronavirus regulations counts as a fixed penalty notice. Finally, there is clarification that pending prosecutions include where a person is under investigation but has not yet been charged with an offence.
-
-
Updated Good character: nationality policy guidance document
-
-
Updated date in details section.
-
-
Updated guidance.
-
-
Updated guidance.
-
-
Updated guidance on good character requirement published.
-
-
Updated document.
-
Update history
2025-02-13 17:24
Updated to add the date on page 49 to clarify that applications made after 10February 2025 that include illegal entry will ‘normally’ be refused citizenship,regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
2025-02-10 16:02
Guidance updated to clarify that applications made after 10 February 2025 that include illegal entry will normally be refused citizenship, regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
2023-07-31 14:03
Guidance updated to align criminality thresholds with those in part 9 of the Immigration Rules and to provide clarification on exceptional grants; lawful residence changes; UK and UN sanctions.
2022-09-20 15:23
Added accessible and pdf of updated versions. Aligned with provisions on lawful residence introduced into the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA) by section 9 and Schedule 1 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA), and with differentiation of refugees in section 12 of the NABA 2022. There is also a new section on travel bans and clarification that a fine imposed under the coronavirus regulations counts as a fixed penalty notice. Finally, there is clarification that pending prosecutions include where a person is under investigation but has not yet been charged with an offence.
Details
UK Visas and Immigration guidance for staff on how to assess the good character requirement in relevant nationality applications.
ItThe appliesguidance to:
allhasdecisionsbeenmadeupdatedontoorclarifyafterthat14applicationsJanuarymade2019afterwhich10areFebruaryas2025athatresultincludeofillegalaentryperson’swillassociationnormallywithbewarrefusedcrimescitizenship,orregardlessextremismallofnewwhenapplicationstheforillegalcitizenshipentrymadeonorafter14January2019occurred.
We are aware that this publication may have accessibility issues. We are reviewing it so that we can fix these.them.
Read more about our accessible documents policy.
Updates to this page
Published 27 July 2017Last updated
-
Guidance updated to clarify that applications made after 10 February 2025 that include illegal entry will normally be refused citizenship, regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
-
Guidance updated to align criminality thresholds with those in part 9 of the Immigration Rules and to provide clarification on exceptional grants; lawful residence changes; UK and UN sanctions.
-
Added accessible and pdf of updated versions. Aligned with provisions on lawful residence introduced into the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA) by section 9 and Schedule 1 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA), and with differentiation of refugees in section 12 of the NABA 2022. There is also a new section on travel bans and clarification that a fine imposed under the coronavirus regulations counts as a fixed penalty notice. Finally, there is clarification that pending prosecutions include where a person is under investigation but has not yet been charged with an offence.
-
Updated Good character: nationality policy guidance document
-
Updated date in details section.
-
Updated guidance.
-
Updated guidance.
-
Updated guidance on good character requirement published.
-
Updated document.
Update history
2025-02-13 17:24
Updated to add the date on page 49 to clarify that applications made after 10February 2025 that include illegal entry will ‘normally’ be refused citizenship,regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
2025-02-10 16:02
Guidance updated to clarify that applications made after 10 February 2025 that include illegal entry will normally be refused citizenship, regardless of when the illegal entry occurred.
2023-07-31 14:03
Guidance updated to align criminality thresholds with those in part 9 of the Immigration Rules and to provide clarification on exceptional grants; lawful residence changes; UK and UN sanctions.
2022-09-20 15:23
Added accessible and pdf of updated versions. Aligned with provisions on lawful residence introduced into the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA) by section 9 and Schedule 1 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA), and with differentiation of refugees in section 12 of the NABA 2022. There is also a new section on travel bans and clarification that a fine imposed under the coronavirus regulations counts as a fixed penalty notice. Finally, there is clarification that pending prosecutions include where a person is under investigation but has not yet been charged with an offence.