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.
It applies to:
-
all decisions made on or after 14 January 2019 which are as a result of a person’s association with war crimes or extremism
-
all new applications for citizenship made on or after 14 January 2019
We are aware this publication may have accessibility issues. We are reviewing it so that we can fix these.
Read more about our accessible documents policy.
Last updated 31 July 2023 + show all updates
-
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.
-
First published.