Ex-con in the US, changed nationality to EU, will I be allowed entry to the UK
This may be strange question, but here goes...I was an illegal alien in the US for approx 18 years(I entered legally but overstayed). At that time I was a citizen of India. A friend of mine procured a fake South African passport for me, which I never used. Someone I showed it to(a US citizen who I thought was a friend) complained to DHS, they informed the police and I was arrested and sentenced to a year in jail for "Criminal possession of a forged instrument". I served 8 months(4 off for good behaviour), and was deported back to India. Now in India, my family happens to have roots in Goa, and I was therefore able to acquire Portuguese nationality because of that(the Portuguese give citizenship to anyone born in Goa before 1961(and can prove it with proper docs), and their descendants upto 2 generations, I qualified cos my dad was born there in 1950). So as of now, I have a Portuguese national ID card and passport. My question is : I want to visit the UK to see a sick relative ; will I be allowed entry? I am aware that the UK is still part of the EU, but given my conviction in the US, and the fact that info is shared between the UK and US regarding criminal foreigners, will I be allowed to enter? I am not interested in settling/living/working in the UK ; I have a decent job and life here in India. Thanks! Any input will be appreciated. Cheers!
Best Answer
You are a citizen of the European Union and as such enjoy freedom of movement within the borders of the EU. This is an absolutely fundamental right and nothing can curb it.
Edit: even if you had a UK criminal record, that in itself would not be enough. Here are some relevant passages from the Free Movement Directive:
Restrictions on the right of entry and the right of residence on grounds of public policy, public security or public health
Previous criminal convictions shall not in themselves constitute grounds for taking such measures. The personal conduct of the individual concerned must represent a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society. Justifications that are isolated from the particulars of the case or that rely on considerations of general prevention shall not be accepted.
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Are EU nationals allowed to enter UK?
EU , EEA and Swiss citizens can travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. In other cases, find out if you need to apply for a visa to enter the UK . You can cross the UK border using a valid passport which should be valid for the whole time you are in the UK .Can EU nationals enter UK after Brexit?
From 1 January 2021, the UK implemented a new points-based immigration system. Under the new system, if you're an EU, EEA and Swiss citizen, you can continue to come to the UK as a visitor without applying for a visa and in most cases, will be able to stay for up to six months.Can I go to Europe after Brexit?
If you are going on holiday you won't need a visa for short trips to Europe. You can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. At border control you may need to show a return ticket and that you have enough money for your stay. When going through passport control you may not be able to use the EU or EEA lanes.Can border control See travel history UK?
Travel history is about how well you have complied with the visa and immigration rules of these countries. UK Visas and Immigration specifically asks for details of your travel history for the past 10 years. ECOs check for travel history in your passport and the countries you have listed in your UK visa application.EU Passport for UK citizens (BREXIT)
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