Good Behaviour Bond and How Does It Impact My Visa?
Good Behaviour Bond and Character is a type of non-custodial sentence given to people who commit minor offences or are first-time offenders. Instead of serving time in jail, the individual is released under certain conditions. If they fail to meet these conditions, they could end up back in prison.
How Does a Good Behaviour Bond Work?
A Good Behaviour Bond is like a promise between the court and the offender. The individual promises to behave well during a specific period. They may have to do other things too, such as going to court or meeting with parole officers. If the individual breaks the conditions of the bond, the court can cancel it and act against them.
How long does a Good Behaviour Bond last?
The duration of a Good Behaviour Bond depends on what the court decides:
A bond may last for a maximum of five (5) years. If the offender defaults on the scheme, the Court may prosecute them for the original offence under Section 9 of the Good Behaviour Bond scheme.
A bond can be made for an offender found guilty of an offence that can last for up to two (2) years. The terms could also include appearing in Court whenever summoned and making regular reports to an officer under Section 10 of the Good Behaviour Bond.
What happens when one breaches a Good Behaviour Bond?
If an individual breaks the conditions of the bond by committing another offence, missing appointments, or ignoring court orders. The court can cancel the bond and take further action against the individual.
When a Good Behaviour Bond is breached, the court has various actions to take. The court may choose to do nothing, change the conditions of the bond, impose additional conditions, or revoke the bond and prosecute the individual for the original offence.
How Does a Good Behaviour Bond Affect a visa holder or a visa applicant?
Note that even if the good behaviour bond is not breached, this may be taken as an indicator for migration purposes that the individual is not of good character as they still have been found guilty of the offence. This is especially the case for citizenship cases, where the threshold for character is often more restrictive. However, if an individual breaks the bond or receives a jail sentence, it can impact their character test and visa application which leads to a complex visa matter.
How Can Agape Henry Crux Help
It is crucial to seek professional advice from immigration law specialists to understand how a Good Behaviour Bond may affect your specific visa situation. At Agape Henry Crux, our Accredited Specialist(s) Immigration Lawyers and our team of immigration lawyers and migration agents are specialised to handle highly complex matters. You can book one of our lawyers or agents to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com.
We speak fluent English, Mandarin, and Malay. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.