If I Leave the UK and Owe a Debt Will I be Able to Get Back In?

Question:

Dear Jon,

I would like to have your valuable response in regard to my unpaid over draft in the UK. I lived in the UK for three years and for one or another reason, I had to leave the country even before my visa ends(2013). Therefore, I failed to pay my bank draft which was around 1500 pounds. I know what I did is wrong. but I had no option other than leaving the country. now, I need a CRB from the UK for my immigration purpose. Could you please tell me will my unpaid bank draft would affect my CRB?

I am waiting for your quick and kind response since I am very much worried about its consequences.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Sincere regards,

Ann

Answer:

Ann,

I understand your situation, and these things happen. And the reality is that it is better to leave and not have any Visa or immigration issues, than to have some unpaid account issues.

Have you had any contact with your previous bank that you had the overdraft with?

And if so, what was the outcome of that contact?

Here in the UK, criminal background checks are no longer called CRB’s, but DBS/Disclosure and Barring Service. It is the same background check, but a new name.

Are you getting a new Visa to stay in the UK? I am curious as to why a DBS is being done?

To my knowledge, and last time I researched this, a few days ago, leaving an unpaid account behind has no bearing on getting a Visa to return to the UK. It also is not something that shows up on a DBS, unless a crime has been committed.

So no worries.

Let me know how you get on.

Regards,

Jon