From January 2021, The UK is offering a ‘Hong Kong BN(O) Visa’ for British Nationals Overseas (BN(O)) citizens and their close family members living in Hong Kong. BN(O) citizens are able to apply for this visa from outside or inside the UK. If granted this visa BN(O) citizens will be able to apply to enter or remain in the UK for an initial period of 30 months, extendable by a further 30 months, or a single period of 5 years. Work and study will be permitted and there is access to NHS (national health service) but no access to public funds such as social welfare benefits.
Once BN(O) citizens have resided in the UK for 5 years, they will be eligible to settle in the UK, also called indefinite leave to remain, assuming that all of the other criteria have been met.
Eligibility criteria:
- have BN(O) status – you do not need a valid BN(O) passport to show this and you do not need to request a new passport if it has expired or been lost
- be an ordinary resident in Hong Kong
- can accommodate and support yourself financially in the UK for at least 6 months, no set criteria
- has been announced yet, but it is expected that the applicant will need to provide an address in the UK and meet the maintenance requirement
- show a commitment to learning English, where appropriate. There will be no English language requirement for the initial visa, but after residing in the UK for five years, applicants for indefinite leave to remain “will require a good knowledge of the English language”
- have a Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate from a Home Office approved clinic
- pay a fee and the immigration health surcharge.
Application process:
Applicants will not need to send physical documents or attend interviews. It is likely they will be required to send a scan of their passport and provide facial images using a Home Office mobile app which will link to an online application form that can be submitted via the government website.