Issued by: Home Office

Foreign criminals will be refused entry to the UK or have their visas cancelled in a crackdown on those posing a threat to the British public.

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 Shabana Mahmood 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 Shabana Mahmood 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.

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