British National (Overseas) BN(O)

The Hong Kong BN(O) Status Holder Visa is an immigration route for Hong Kong British National (Overseas) citizens to live, work and study in the UK. The Hong Kong BN(O) Status Holder Visa route can lead to settlement in the UK. The visa holders may be joined by a dependent partner and dependent children or grandchildren under 18 of the Hong Kong BN(O) status holder or their partner. 

In exceptional circumstances, other adult dependent relatives with a high degree of dependency on the BN(O) or the BN(O)'s partner may also apply. The family members can be of any nationality. The applicants for a Hong Kong BN(O) status holder visa may be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong or the UK.

The visa allows the holder to engage in employment, self-employment, study and investment activities in the UK. The visa holders are also allowed to switch into other immigration categories while they are in the UK. The Hong Kong BN(O) status holder visas are typically granted for multiple entry and have an initial duration of stay of 30 months which can be further extended for another 30 months. After 5 years of continuous residence in the UK, the visa holders may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain or settlement in the UK. 

The dependents of the visa holders who meet the eligibility requirements will also be able to apply for settlement at the same time as their primary visa holder spouse or parent application or independently after accumulating 5 years of continuous lawful residence in accordance with the relevant immigration rules. The current Home Secretary has also announced that there will be a new generation of Hong Kongers who will benefit from a new bespoke path to citizenship, providing them with a clear route to obtaining full British citizenship. This is subject to meeting criteria relating to length of residency, knowledge of English and life in the UK, among others set out by parliamentarians. The government remains committed to its moral and legal obligation under the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong and implemented China's 'one country, two systems'

BN(O) Status Holder Requirement:

A BN(O) status holder is a person who was a British Dependent Territories citizen by virtue of his connection with Hong Kong and who applied to be registered as a British National (Overseas) before the end of 1997. No person born after 30 June 1997 is a British National (Overseas). BN(O)s cannot pass that nationality by descent to their children. In order to qualify for a BN(O) status holder visa, an individual must meet the requirements specified by the Hong Kong government. These requirements include being a BN(O) status holder and having a valid passport.

BNs(O) status holders may use a valid or expired BN(O) passport as evidence of their BN(O) status when applying for a Hong Kong BN(O) Status Holder Visa. If an applicant's BN(O) passport has been lost, eligibility checks can be made using historical records held by the Her Majesty's Passport Office. It is also possible to apply for a Hong Kong BN(O) Status Holder Visa using a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport. Successful applicants who do not hold a valid BN(O) passport will be able to travel on a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport. The BN(O) requirements for visa issuance are set out in section 7C of the Immigration Ordinance. Section 7C(2) provides that the Director of Immigration may, in his discretion, issue a BN(O) status holder visa to a person if that person produces a valid BN(O) passport or, if the pers

Hong Kong BN(O) Status Holder Visa Ordinary Residency RequirementApplicants for the Hong Kong BN(O) Status Holder Visa will need to satisfy the Home Office that they will be able to adequately maintain and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds for at least 6 months. This requirement may be met in various ways, as set out in the Immigration Rules. For example, applicants may rely on credible promises of future third-party support. If applying to switch into the Hong Kong BN(O) Status Holder route from within the UK, the financial requirement will be deemed to be met if you have already been living in the UK for at least 12 months.