UK Good Character Requirement Scrapped for ‘Certain’ Citizenship Applications

On 25 July 2023, changes to the British Nationality Act 1981 (as amended) came into force, removing the ‘good character’ requirement for certain applications to register as a British citizen.

The requirement was, until this change, applicable to almost all applicants over 10 years-old and still remains in force for other registration and naturalisation applications. In the past, some children born to British parents were not automatically classed as British citizens, due to discriminatory provisions in British nationality law.

In the past, some children born to British parents were not automatically classed as British citizens, due to discriminatory provisions in British nationality law.

UK Government

What is a Good character requirement?

According to Home office rules, A person will not normally be considered to be of good character if there is information to suggest that any of the following apply:

• criminality – if they have not respected or are not prepared to abide by the law for
  example, they have been convicted of a crime or there are reasonable grounds to
  suspect, meaning it is more likely than not, they have been involved in crime
• international crimes, terrorism and other non-conducive activity – if they have
  been involved in or associated with war crimes, crimes against humanity or
  genocide, terrorism, or other actions that are considered not to be conducive to
  the public good
• financial soundness – if their financial affairs have not been in appropriate order – for example, they have failed to pay taxes for which they were liable or have
  accrued significant debt
• notoriety – if their activities have been notorious and cast serious doubt on their
  standing in the local community
• deception and dishonesty – if they have been deliberately dishonest or
  deceptive in their dealings with the UK government, for example they have made
  false claims in order to obtain benefits
• immigration-related matters – if they have breached immigration laws, for
  example by overstaying, working in breach of conditions or assisting in the
  evasion of immigration control, where such matters are not to be disregarded for
  that person – see: Non-compliance with immigration requirements
• deprivation – if they have previously been deprived of citizenship.