Good character Requirement - New Rules - Old Conviction

Hi there,

Hope everyone is doing well!

Just passed my Life in the UK test and was finally ready to go through with the naturalisation application until I read all the fine print.

I am nearly two years on settled status through EUSS but the good character requirement is a concern.

I have a conviction from overseas for speeding 48 on a 40 zone in 2015. I appealed this in court in order to retain a conditional licence to ensure I could still drive to school. I did not report this on my EUSS application as my understanding was that speeding tickets/FPNs were not important, especially after 5 years and I hadn't the legal understanding to associate this conviction with a criminal record.

I have had no other fines/ convictions since of any kind. Should also mentioned that I have recently finished a masters in the UK and now have a master's loan and am worried this can be construed as debt?

How likely is it that this will have an impact on my chances of getting approved and should I report this as a conviction considering I didn't originally for my EUSS application?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

If you mean you have a speeding ticket abroad, that's unlikely to be a problem. You can declare it if you wish, no problem with not having declared it on EUSS. No issue at all with your student loan either, it won't be seen as debt from reckless spending.

I do mean I have a speeding ticket abroad. It happened in 2015 and I went to court to appeal it and had to pay a fine. At the time I didn't understand this as a criminal offence that would create a record but perhaps the UK definition in the law is slightly different. It shows on my lifetime driver records as conviction: speeding. My penalty was 3 points and $90. I take it this must be reported even if it happened so long ago?

Potentially I'm misinterpreting the use of "conviction" here. Good to know about the student loan. Thank you that's helpful!

Motoring conviction abroad eight years ago - I'd say you are overthinking.
The new rules are mainly for scenarios with custodial sentences, there are very few driving offences where you might go to prison.

CluelessCitizen wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 28, 2023 6:48 pm

I do mean I have a speeding ticket abroad. It happened in 2015 and I went to court to appeal it and had to pay a fine. At the time I didn't understand this as a criminal offence that would create a record but perhaps the UK definition in the law is slightly different. It shows on my lifetime driver records as conviction: speeding. My penalty was 3 points and $90. I take it this must be reported even if it happened so long ago?

Potentially I'm misinterpreting the use of "conviction" here. Good to know about the student loan. Thank you that's helpful!

You can report it for transparency but it won't affect your application if you have no other offences and you satisfy all the eligibility criteria.