Under new rules introduced today, any foreign offender who has
received a suspended sentence of at least 12 months – either at
home or abroad – will see their entry clearance refused or
revoked, regardless of when the crime took place.
This builds on existing powers which allow the UK to deport
anyone sentenced to 12 months or more in prison.
Last May, the Home Office announced it would lower the threshold
for foreign offenders to be considered for deportation.
Any migrant who wants to settle in the UK must meet certain
character requirements, including a clean criminal record and
compliance with immigration requirements.
The move comes as Home Secretary will introduce new
legislation today to restore order and control to our borders.
She will make a speech today at the IPPR think tank
outlining how these reforms are in line with her British
values.
Home Secretary said:
Coming to the UK from overseas is a privilege, not a right.
Any foreign national with a history of crime and violence is not
welcome.
If you pose a risk to our country, you will be refused entry or
removed.
The changes, which come into force from 26 March, will bring
Immigration Rules in line with reforms in the Sentencing Act
2026.
Last November, as part of the most sweeping reforms to tackle
illegal migration since the Second World War, the Home Secretary
announced a shake-up of human rights laws to make it easier to
deport foreign criminals.
The government will legislate to reform Article 8 (the right to
family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights so that
the safety of the British public is prioritised above the rights
of foreign offenders.
And in April last year, the Home Office announced that foreign
nationals who commit sex offences will be excluded from asylum
protections in the UK as part of the Border Security, Asylum and
Immigration Act.
The changes come as removals of illegal migrants and foreign
criminals under this government have scaled up to nearly 60,000 –
the highest rate in a decade.
