Important Announcements today

[John]

Lots of announcements have been made today. Already this Board has a very long topic about HSMP and the new Tier 1 points. So please do not post anything here about those aspects.

But as well as that there are important implication for other types of visas. Click here to read about the new plans concerning family settlement visas, and new English language requirements.

Even more detail in Marriage to partners from overseas consultation ...... and .......Marriage visas: pre-entry English language requirement for spouses.

[thesaint]

I just didn’t understand the paragraph about people with an unspent conviction will normally be refused nationality
I don’t think it is a new rule isnt? It’s the same extend of a good character

I thought the new rules will be after lord Goldsmith reveals his privews in march but who knows it might be another changes then.
the quistion is if the government will take this reviws when will it be a law?

[JAJ]

I just didn’t understand the paragraph about people with an unspent conviction will normally be refused nationality
I don’t think it is a new rule isnt? It’s the same extend of a good character

It's a change in policy on "good character". It does not require new legislation.

[John]

Looking at the existing guidance to BIA staff dealing with Citizenship applications, they not only pick up on convictions that are spent or unspent, but have invented a "clear" term.

I have not got the details in front of me but, for example, someone who is fined in Court, that will not become spent for 5 years, However after say 2 years BIA consider it clear, and accordingly might be prepared to allow the application.

The provisions announced yesterday mean that the "clear" provisions disappear. So someone fined will not be allowed Citizenship for the full 5 years, while their conviction is unspent.

[SYH]

Looking at the existing guidance to BIA staff dealing with Citizenship applications, they not only pick up on convictions that are spent or unspent, but have invented a "clear" term.

I have not got the details in front of me but, for example, someone who is fined in Court, that will not become spent for 5 years, However after say 2 years BIA consider it clear, and accordingly might be prepared to allow the application.

The provisions announced yesterday mean that the "clear" provisions disappear. So someone fined will not be allowed Citizenship for the full 5 years, while their conviction is unspent.

what about those people who got fined for not paying their tube fares, where does that fit in???

[John]

I do not live in London so excuse my ignorance about non-payment of fares on the tube. However if the person ended up in Court, and gets fined, that conviction will not be spent for 5 years.

However is that what happens? Are they "just" issued with a penalty fare notice? If so I do not think that is a fine as such, so probably can be ignored.

[SYH]

I do not live in London so excuse my ignorance about non-payment of fares on the tube. However if the person ended up in Court, and gets fined, that conviction will not be spent for 5 years.

However is that what happens? Are they "just" issued with a penalty fare notice? If so I do not think that is a fine as such, so probably can be ignored.

I dont know either, at one point I think it was more administrative but now I think it has become more criminal like based on the ads I have seen so ...

[Fairtrade]

Pre-entering language requirements for spouses wouldn't be something unique in Europe, the Netherlands already runs similar requirements.

[transpondia]

John, it's worth adding here that Lord Goldsmith's Citizenship Review will be laid before the govt in March. This is the vehicle that will (or may) introduce the "earned citizenship" requirement...