Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what rules exist to prevent foreign nationals who are convicted felons from entering the UK.

Part 9 of the Immigration Rules provides for the refusal of entry clearance or permission to enter or stay in the UK for foreign nationals with previous criminal convictions. Each case is considered on its individual merits. Mandatory grounds for refusal apply where a person has a previous criminal conviction which resulted in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more; is a persistent offender; has committed an offence which caused serious harm; or whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. Refusal is also mandatory for visitors and those coming to the UK for less than 6 months if they have received a custodial sentence of less than 12 months or a non-custodial sentence, unless a period of at least 12 months has passed.