Denied Entry Into The UK
Did you know that under the new UK immigration rules, any person who has been sentenced to more than four years in prison is barred from entering the country?
Will Your Criminal Record Hold You Back?
Mike Tyson, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, has been refused permission to enter Britain because of his criminal record. He was planning a UK Tour at the beginning of 2014 to promote his autobiography. However, Tyson no longer has entry status because he had a conviction in 1992, which resulted in a six-year sentence. He served three years.
Stricter Rules for Entering the UK
The UK Home Office said in a statement: “We would not comment on the details of an individual case. We reserve the right to refuse entry to the UK to anyone who is convicted of a serious criminal offence. In December 2012 we toughened up the rules on entering the UK, replacing the previous discretionary approach with a clearer, stronger framework including mandatory refusals based on the length of, and time since, a sentence.”
Tyson visited Britain before the rules were toughened. He has been the subject of petitions on the change.org website, most recently regarding his planned Glasgow visit.
If you are planning on travelling to the UK with a criminal record, you will need a pardon, now referred to as a Record Suspension. With a Record Suspension, your past criminal record will not be disclosed to any foreign country unless it is deemed to be a security issue. Find out how AllCleared can help with Record Suspensions. However, even with a Record Suspension, if you intend to enter the USA, you still need to obtain a US Waiver.