Naturalisation. Good character. Criminality
If you apply to naturalise as a British citizen, you must satisfy the good character requirement. Factors considered when assessing your character are whether you have a criminal record, and whether you show respect to the law.
Your application will normally be refused if you have received a custodial sentence of at least 4 years.
The same if you have received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months, but less than 4 years, unless a period of 15 years has passed since the end of the sentence (not since you have been released).
Your application will also be refused if you have received a custodial sentence of less than 12 months, unless a period of 10 years has passed since the end of the sentence.
If you have received a non-custodial sentence or out-of-court disposal that is recorded on your criminal record and which occurred in the 3 years prior to the date of application, your application will normally be refused.
You will not meet the good character requirement and your application for citizenship will not be accepted if you are a persistent offender, or have committed an offence which has caused serious harm, or if you have committed a sexual offence, or your details are recorded by the police on the Sex Offenders Register.
You must disclose in your application the pending prosecutions and all convictions, spent or not (unless you are resident in Northern Ireland, in which case you have to disclose only the unspent convictions).
If you make false or misleading statements regarding your criminal history, you may also be using deception in relation with your application for naturalisation, which is an additional ground of refusal.
If you want to apply for British citizenship or for a British passport and need specialist advice, feel free to contact me. Please note that I am an accredited immigration adviser, not an employee of the UK Visas and Immigration. I charge fees for the advice provided.