STOP PRESS: In a significant and controversial change, the Home Office has updated its caseworker guidance on how to assess the good charACTer requirement in Nationality applications to state that for applications made after 10 February 2025 where a person has previously been an illegal entrant, they will normally be refused citizenship. This will also apply where a person has arrived in the UK without a required entry clearance or an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) having made a ‘dangerous journey’. One significant effect of these changes will be to bar persons granted refugee status who entered the UK illegally or arrived by small boat from obtaining citizenship, unless a case is treated as exceptional. See: LNB News 11/02/2025 52.

Under section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA 1981) and BNA 1981, Sch 1, para 1(1)(b), all applicants who apply for naturalisation as a British citizen must be of good character.

The good character requirement also applies to persons aged ten or over who applies