Urgently need advice on this matter, i was caught driving with no insurance last week and am thinking of putting in my application for naturalisation in the new year (2011)

Question:

Will it affect my application in anyway?

Should I declare it in the application in the criminal conviction section, even though I have been given a fix penalty fine of £200 but might still have to go to court for driving with no insurance

Hi Mike,

It would depend on if you have to go to court or not. If you are only given a fixed penalty notice then you do not have to declare this. However, if you were given the penalty notice in court, or have to go to court then, you should declare it.

The UKBA guidance on the character requirement in relation to criminal records says that "You must give details of all unspent criminal convictions. This includes road traffic offences but not fixed penalty notices (such as speeding or parking tickets) unless they were given in court. You must include all drink-driving offences."

If you can wait before applying for naturalisation it would be worth your waiting until you know if you have to go to court or not, as this could affect your requirements to declare.

Hope this helps
George
www.lifeintheuk.net