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Good Character and previous overstay

A section for posts relating to applications for Naturalisation or Registration as a British Citizen. Naturalisation

Moderators: Casa, push, JAJ, ca.funke, Amber, zimba, vinny, Obie, EUsmileWEallsmile, batleykhan, meself2, geriatrix, John, ChetanOjha, archigabe

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Mr Ajk
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Good Character and previous overstay

Post by Mr Ajk » Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:15 am

I overstayed my student visa for 26 months between 2005-2007. I left Uk voluntarily at my own expense without any removal order or conviction under immigration act. I got married to British citizen declared my overstay truthfully in spouse visa and was granted spouse visa. I got ILR last month now my question is should I mark good character clause in naturalization application form as yes and don't disclose my overstay as its already been disclosed to UKBA in my previous application. or mark no in good character clause and mention my overstay. In my ILR application I did not disclose my overstay thinking that its already been disclosed and not a material fact anymore for ILR application as family applications are protected from 320 7(b). Plus Old ILR form does not specifically ask about any previous overstay.
if I mention overstay in my naturalization application and mark good character clause as no then will this contradict my ILR application as I marked yes for good character there. So confused Please help

Ayyubi72
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Post by Ayyubi72 » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:08 pm

Answer all question truthfully. Your previous overstay won't result in refusal. But if you lie, or don't disclose the facts when asked, then your application may well be refused.

Mr Ajk
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Naturalisation application refused

Post by Mr Ajk » Thu Jun 04, 2015 7:44 pm

My British citizen application is recently refused by home office. Reason mentioned breach of immigration rules during qualifying period. My definite stay with my passport and documents were lost in mail. UKBA issued my definite stay on 16 November 2011 and sent my documents to my lawyer, unfortunately my lawyer never received any mail from UKBA. UKBA also has proof of sending documents. Royal mail cannot trace documents as its been more than a year ago. After approaching UKBA again and again I finally got reply from them in Jan 2013 that my documents are already been sent to my lawyer in 2011 with one year definite stay. I applied for ILR in march 2013, explaining the lost documents situation to UKBA and finally got the ILR. recently I applied for BC application and was refused because of immigration breach during qualifying period saying my definite stay expired in nov 2012 while my ILR was approved in nov 2013 so nearly a year of stay without any visa. My question is does section 3C of immigration act covers me? as I never received any formal decision from UKBA in time to make ILR application? Though UKBA did send the decision but according to my lawyer's letter he never received any documents from UKBA. Can home office use discretion here under 8.10 chapter 5 guidelines for HO? As there was no deliberate attempt to delay or overstay and things were out of my control. would I have received UKBA decision in time I surely have made the ILR in time.

cs95tdg
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by cs95tdg » Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:15 pm

Did you apply for further leave to remain before your former leave expired? I.e. Where you say the HO decision & your passport was lost in the post. Reading the information in this topic, what I gather is that you were granted a further 1 year of leave to remain expiring in Nov 2012; therefore your ILR application made in March 2013 would have been made while you had no LTR in the UK. I.e. after 3-4 months of overstay. It appears that this overstay was disregarded for that ILR application; do you have the grounds for that from the HO?

Note that section 3C only comes into effect when an application is made in-time. I.e prior to current leave expiring, so in this case it doesn't appear to apply. It would be good if you can provide more information around how your ILR was approved. As that too would by default have been refused as it was made out of time. I'm assuming discretion was applied, but will wait for you to post any further information you have.

It may also help if you post your immigration history with dates to understand the background.

akwadouala
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Unlawful refusal what next? any help to draft a reconsidera

Post by akwadouala » Fri Jun 05, 2015 6:49 pm

I enter in the UK clandestinely on 05/01/2003,claim asylum on 06/01/2003 was on temporary admission follow asylum application since 2003, further submission for the same asylum application in 2011 and discretionary leave to remain for 3 years granted follow my first asylum application .In 2013 apply for settlement base on 10 years lawful long residence in the uk(follow the guidance How to consider temporary admission as lawful residence) application granted on 21/10/2013 and today see what I receive.

I refer to your application for naturalisation as a British citizen under section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981. An applicant under this provision is expected to meet certain residenúl requirements. The requirements are set out-on our website at www.gov.uk/becomtng-a-britishcitizen.

One of the requirements is that an applicant was not in breach of the immigration laws at any time during his 'qualifying period' of residence. Your application was received at the Home Office on 27 June 2014 and so the qualifying period is from 27 June 2014 to 28 June 2009.

As you were in the UK in breach of the immigration laws from 17 October 2003; (when all appeal rights were exhausted) to 21 October 2011 (granted discretionary leave to 20 October 2014), this requirement is not met.

The Home Secretary has to disregard a breach of the immigration laws for the purposes of an application for naturalisation. To ensure the discretion is applied rationally and consistently, an established policy is followed; this policy is published in the Nationality Staff Instructions on our website (go to 'Policy and law' > 'Staff Guidance, instructions and country information' > 'Nationality instructions' > 'Volume_l' > 'Chapter 18' > 'Annex B' > paragraph 8.10).

You note to have been granted temporary admission from 05 January 2003 to 21 October 2011 as such you had leave which did not expire. However, this is not the case and discretion does not apply under Chapter 18 Annex B paragraph 8.7.

If an asylum claim was made while the applicant was in the UK illegally (for example, as an overstayer or following clandestine entry), the applicant will have been in the UK in breach of the immigration laws until such time s/he was finally granted leave to remain in the UK. In other words, such a person will have been 'in breach...' throughout the period his or her application (and any subsequent appeal) was being considered. This will have been the case irrespective of any temporary admission they may or may not have been given following detection.

A breach of immigration laws would not normally be disregarded in any circumstances other than those defined in the policy. As you do not come within the published criteria, nor is there reason to exercise discretion exceptionally outside these criteria, the application is refused.

If you still wish to become a British citizen, a fresh application for naturalisation must be made. An can be made at any time but you are advised to ensure, as far as possible, that the residence and other requirements are met before doing so, In this respect, I should point out that an application made before 21 October 2016 ( 5 years after the breach ended), is unlikely to be successful. I cannot say in advance of an application what the outcome will be as this will depend on the results of enquiries made at the time to ensure that the requirements are met.

In addition, before submitting a fresh application, you should ensure that you have fully complied with UK Immigration laws in the ten years prior to the date of application

As explained in our schedule of fees, the application fee for British citizenship is not refundable and has been retained to cover the cost of handling and processing your application.

Arrangements are being made to return the sum.of £80.00, which is refunded in the case of an unsuccessful application where a ceremony is not required.

Mr Ajk
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by Mr Ajk » Fri Jun 05, 2015 8:35 pm

This is my immigration history
I was on Spouse visa Dec 2009 - March 2011. Applied for definite stay on the basis of child visa in Feb 2011.
Was granted 1 year definite stay on 16 Nov 2011 but documents and formal decision letter including my passport and visa stamp never reached me. All documents were lost in mail. I was unaware of my new visa decision and dates. Finally in Jan 2013 I got fed up waiting and asked for my documents to be returned and that's where UKBA finally replied saying that my documents already been sent back in Nov 2011. I applied for ILR application nearly 4 months out of time and was granted ILR using discretion over out of control circumstances in this case lost documents in mail. Now my naturalisation application has been refused because of immigration breach which happened due to loss of documents. As I never received formal decision from HO for my 1 year definite stay, I was totally unaware of any breach at that time. There were exceptional circumstances out of my control and I was expecting HO to use discretion to disregard any breach in my naturalisation application. I just fail to understand why section 3C never cover me? My previous status of spouse visa should cover me till I get decision of my new application for definite stay which in this case was lost in mail and I never received HO decision.

Mr Ajk
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Any naturalisation application refused ? WHY?

Post by Mr Ajk » Fri Jun 05, 2015 8:46 pm

My NC application is just been refused.This is my immigration history
I was on Spouse visa Dec 2009 - March 2011. Applied for definite stay on the basis of child visa in Feb 2011.
Was granted 1 year definite stay on 16 Nov 2011 but documents and formal decision letter including my passport and visa stamp never reached me. All documents were lost in mail. I was unaware of my new visa decision and dates. Finally in Jan 2013 I got fed up waiting and asked for my documents to be returned and that's where UKBA finally replied saying that my documents already been sent back in Nov 2011. I applied for ILR application nearly 4 months out of time and was granted ILR using discretion over out of control circumstances in this case lost documents in mail. Now my naturalisation application has been refused because of immigration breach which happened due to loss of documents. As I never received formal decision from HO for my 1 year definite stay, I was totally unaware of any breach at that time. There were exceptional circumstances out of my control and I was expecting HO to use discretion to disregard any breach in my naturalisation application. I just fail to understand why section 3C never cover me? My previous status of spouse visa should cover me till I get decision of my new application for definite stay which in this case was lost in mail and I never received HO decision.

cs95tdg
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by cs95tdg » Fri Jun 05, 2015 9:01 pm

Mr Ajk wrote:This is my immigration history
I was on Spouse visa Dec 2009 - March 2011. Applied for definite stay on the basis of child visa in Feb 2011.
I'm not familiar with this particular visa, but presume you applied in-time from what you have said & thereby have no breaks in your leave, up until the lost decision letter?
Mr Ajk wrote: Finally in Jan 2013 I got fed up waiting and asked for my documents to be returned and that's where UKBA finally replied saying that my documents already been sent back in Nov 2011.
When you didn't receive a decision within a few months or even after 6 months of submitting your application, did you not contact the HO to enquire the status? I understand HO SLA's aren't the best, however I'd expect an applicant to normally enquire after a reasonable time has lapsed, without waiting for over a year to pass by with no news. I.e. I'm just trying to understand whether you just asked for your documents back in January 2013, without any previous attempt to find out the status of your application.
Now my naturalisation application has been refused because of immigration breach which happened due to loss of documents. As I never received formal decision from HO for my 1 year definite stay, I was totally unaware of any breach at that time. There were exceptional circumstances out of my control and I was expecting HO to use discretion to disregard any breach in my naturalisation application.
Your circumstances are unfortunate, where a decision letter was lost in the post. Based on what you say you were granted ILR with discretion, but that does not erase the fact that there was a break in legal stay from the time between when your former leave expired & your ILR was granted. Did you provide the background information on the reason for your break in legal stay when you made your naturalisation application? I suspect discretion would not simply be applied by default. You may want to consider requesting a reconsideration with that information if it was not highlighted before, and wait for others views/comments before you decide.
I just fail to understand why section 3C never cover me? My previous status of spouse visa should cover me till I get decision of my new application for definite stay which in this case was lost in mail and I never received HO decision.
Unfortunately S3C would not apply here, as explained before, because your ILR application was made out-of-time, I.e. when you had no leave in the UK. You became an overstayer from November 2012 until you were granted ILR. The fact that discretion was applied to grant your ILR doesn't wipe clear your break in legal stay.

Mr Ajk
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by Mr Ajk » Fri Jun 05, 2015 9:24 pm

there were no other breaks in my immigration history other than that lost mail situation. I did ask for discretion in my naturalisation application. HO clearly said they looked my application under immigration directorate instructions and guidelines chapter 18 paragraph 8.10. annex B chapter 18 para 8.10 clearly says discretion can be used if it is established that immigration breach is not deliberate and circumstances were out of control. I provided HO police report of lost documents and letter from my lawyer clearly stating they never received my documents from HO. Section 3C was triggered in march 2011 when my spouse visa expired while my application for LTR was already in process before expiry of my spousal visa. This section 3C covers me till I get formal decision from HO on my LTR application which I never received.

vinny
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by vinny » Fri Jun 05, 2015 10:59 pm

I've merged your previous threads together to get a clearer picture.

You could have also been refused due to the previous overstay.
This is not intended to be legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction. Please click on any given links for further information. Refer to the source of any quotes.
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

Mr Ajk
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by Mr Ajk » Fri Jun 05, 2015 11:59 pm

Vinny my previous overstay was not mentioned in HO refusal letter, only immigration breach between Nov 2012 and Nov 2013 mentioned.

vinny
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by vinny » Sat Jun 06, 2015 2:01 am

I think that the previous overstay will also now be a problem too.
This is not intended to be legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction. Please click on any given links for further information. Refer to the source of any quotes.
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

cs95tdg
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by cs95tdg » Sat Jun 06, 2015 6:56 am

Mr Ajk wrote:Section 3C was triggered in march 2011 when my spouse visa expired while my application for LTR was already in process before expiry of my spousal visa.
True. Here you would have been covered by S3C.
This section 3C covers me till I get formal decision from HO on my LTR application.
True. I understand that you never received this letter, but that doesn't change the fact that a decision was made to grant you Leave until November 2012, after which would would have become an overstayer. That's the reason I state that you would not have been covered by S3C from November 2012 until your ILR was granted.

Reading the topic that Vinny has linked, I'd agree that the previous overstay would be a problem now. With the Good character requirement changes that came into effect in 2014, the HO will look at your 10 year immigration history from your application date & any breach within those 10 years would be a problem.

Mr Ajk
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Re: Naturalisation application refused

Post by Mr Ajk » Mon Jun 08, 2015 2:03 am

True. I understand that you never received this letter, but that doesn't change the fact that a decision was made to grant you Leave until November 2012, after which would would have become an overstayer. That's the reason I state that you would not have been covered by S3C from November 2012 until your ILR was granted.
I agree decision was made but According Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 section 3C.6 " In this section a reference to an application being decided is a reference to notice of the decision being given in accordance with regulations under section 105 of that Act (notice of immigration decision."

According to section 105 of immigration act
Notice of immigration decision means
(1)The Secretary of State make regulations requiring a person to be given written notice where an immigration decision is taken in respect of him.( detailing conditions of grant or in case of refusal mentioning time limit to appeal)
Further mentioned in annex B s.118 of the Immigration, Nationality and Asylum Act 2002. From that date, people who (before or from 1 April 2003) have applied "in-time" for further leave have their leave extended: until notice of decision is served or the application is withdrawn"
In my case no written formal decision was served detailing time limits of my visa conditions, this means as far as I am concerned my application is still pending till I receive formal written decision from HO. Regardless of weather am covered by S3C or not, loss of documents represent exceptional circumstances which are out of control, referring to annex B naturalisation guidelines chapter 18 section 8.10
"We should normally exercise discretion to disregard a breach of the immigration laws (i.e. a period of unlawful residence) only if there are reasons for the breach which were clearly outside the individual’s control"

I got penalised for what appears to be not my fault, what are your thoughts? should you guys recommend review of BC application or should I go for fresh application?

cs95tdg
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Re: Good Character and previous overstay

Post by cs95tdg » Mon Jun 08, 2015 10:08 am

If it were purely a matter of what you have mentioned in this thread I would consider making a reconsideration request.

But after reading your previous post where you state the following I do not believe you would be successful because you would not meet the Good character requirement as you overstayed your visa during the 10 year period prior to your naturalisation application.
Mr Ajk wrote:I overstayed my student visa for 26 months between 2005-2007.

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