The UK Government is set to extend residence rights for British Nationals (Overseas) citizens in Hong Kong after China’s imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong. This announcement was confirmed on July 1 by the UK Government.
This new immigration route will allow BN(O)s to come to the UK removing current 6 month limit, granting them 5 years limited leave to remain, with the ability to live and work in the UK. After these 5 years, they will be able to apply for settled status and, after a further 12 months with that status, apply for citizenship.
Here is a quick summary of the BNO immigration route, as announced by UK Govt.
- Extension of visa rights follows increasing restrictions on the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong
- Right to live and work in the UK for longer for 5 years
- Path to full British citizenship
Today, about 350,000 of the territory’s people hold British National (Overseas) passports and another 2.5 million would be eligible to apply for them. At present, these passports allow visa-free access to the United Kingdom for up to six months.
If China imposes its national security law, the British government will change our immigration rules and allow any holder of these passports from Hong Kong to come to the UK for a renewable period of 12 months and be given further immigration rights, including the right to work, which could place them on a route to citizenship.
This would amount to one of the biggest changes in our visa system in history. If it proves necessary, the British government will take this step and take it willingly
– Boris Johnson, Prime Minister, Speech on July 3
This new immigration route will be implemented in the coming months, with exact date and further details to be announced soon. Until this is implemented, standard immigration checks apply for those who wish to travel to UK for BN(O)s from Hong Kong and will not have the automatic right to live or work in the UK
“The UK has a historic and moral obligation to British Nationals (Overseas) in Hong Kong and we will honour our commitment to them.”, said Priti Patel
Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 until its transfer to China in 1997. British National (Overseas), abbreviated BN(O), is a class of British nationality that was granted by voluntary registration to British Dependent Territories citizens who were Hong Kong residents before the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997.
Individuals with this nationality are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British citizens. There are an estimated 2.9 million BN(O)s; about 350,000 of them hold active British passports with this status and enjoy consular protection when travelling abroad.
Since most BN(O)s also hold Chinese nationality and because China treats its dual nationals as if they were only Chinese, they generally cannot access this consular protection within Hong Kong, mainland China, or Macau.
