First of all, this isn't a visa - it's a travel authorisation. For the offence categories covered by the rules, it goes back fifteen years. Don't forget that's actually less harsh than the law in England & Wales. There is no automatic sharing of criminal records, so if you're under the police, they will probably expect you to disclose, but they might not. Once the fifteen years are up, you don't have to disclose.

Oh, and let's not get into the hierarchy of offending. In the UK, the general opinion is that anyone convicted of a sexual offence is as bad as the worst offender. It's a form of divide and rule. You'll get more sympathy here, of course.

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If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

If you would like more details, you can find them on Unlock's website here. Thanks to the diligence of tedstriker, we know that it will be the fifteen years before the date of the application.

In another thread on here, expatoff posted that his wife had not been asked about criminal records when she applied for a Schengen visa. You can see the application form here. It seems that the criminal record questions are asked by a country if you apply for residence there.

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If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

I am somewhat surprised there is not an article in detail about the propsed new visa ETIAS for European travel for us Brits. What we all need to be clear about is what questions they ask of us with criminal records. I have read that they may ask for all convictions to be disclosed within a 10 year period historically, but then I saw it might actually be 15 years. We need clarity.

My SOR finishes in 2026 and if they want disclosure in the previous 10 years and I apply for a visa when it comes into force early in 2025, my details will be on record for 3 years (the period of the visa I think), which means when my conviction is SPENT the visa will still have my record listed. However, if they want us to disclose convisctions unto 15 years  I have no choice but to apply, and hope to get the visa. My plan, if it is 10 years, will be only to travel to NON EU countries in 2025 and 2026, such as TURKEY, ALBANIA, BOSNIA, CYPRUS where the visa is not relevent, then when my conviction is spent, apply  without having to disclose my past. 

I have spent my last 8.5 yrs covering my past to family friends by lying, and I am not naturally someone who likes lying, and it is stressful. In 2026 I want to be able to travel freely without stress and enjoy my last 10 years (maybe more - I am 71) of my life. 

Finally, is there any guidance as to the chances of NOT being allowed a visa because of a conviction?