Hong Kong Watch calls for answers on the future of the BNO scheme

Yesterday evening, Hong Kong Watch Patrons Lord Patten of Barnes, the last Governor of Hong Kong, and Lord Alton of Liverpool, Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, together with Hong Kong Watch co-founder and Trustee Benedict Rogers, wrote to the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper MP, to urge for clarity on whether proposed changes to the Immigration Rules would affect BNO visa holders.

On 12 May, the UK government announced sweeping new restrictions on legal migration outlined in a new White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System. Among the changes proposed is a drastic extension of the pathway to settlement — one that, if applied to the BNO visa route, would deal a devastating blow to thousands of families who came to the UK to escape from repression in Hong Kong.

The White Paper proposed a new standard wait period of ten years for eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a twofold increase from the current standard of five years. When the British National (Overseas) (BNO) humanitarian visa route was established in 2020, the route promised a pathway to citizenship for BNO passport holders and their dependents on a 5+1 year model (five years to gain ILR, and one more year to gain citizenship). With the scheme launching in January 2021, the first BNO Hong Kongers will become eligible for ILR in January 2026, 7 months from now. 

Changing eligibility requirements for ILR on the BNO pathway would have serious impacts on these British Nationals. Lack of British citizenship poses many problems for BNO Hong Kongers, including lack of access to UK consulates when travelling abroad, and problems in withdrawing their Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) retirement savings. BNO visa holders must also continue to pay costly international fees at UK universities — fees that often put higher education out of reach. Many young Hong Kongers, who came as children seeking freedom, now face the crushing possibility of a 10-year wait before they are eligible for home fees. For some, this could mean deferring their academic and career aspirations, or giving them up altogether.

In the letter, the signatories press the government to clarify how the new rules would affect BNO Hong Kongers, and further urge the Home Office not to renege on the promises made by the UK government to Hong Kongers. 

You can read our letter in full here.

Benedict Rogers, co-founder and Trustee of Hong Kong Watch, commented: 

“The UK government made a promise to the people of Hong Kong in 2020 — a promise rooted in our historic commitments. To renege on that promise now, after BNO Hong Kongers have invested their futures, hopes and life savings in the UK would be unconscionable.  

We are urgently seeking clarity from the UK government on how its proposed changes to the Immigration Rules are intended to impact BNO Hong Kongers. We urge the UK government to clarify its stance on the BNO pathway and fulfill its commitment to Hong Kongers.”

彭定康勳爵、奧爾頓勳爵聯同香港監察去信英國內相 促釐清修改移民規則對BNO港人影響

昨晚，兩位香港監察贊助人，包括最後一任港督彭定康勳爵（Lord Patten of Barnes）和英國國會人權聯合委員會主席奧爾頓勳爵（Lord Alton of Liverpool），以及香港監察共同創辦人兼信託人羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers），去信英國內政大臣顧綺慧（Yvette Cooper），促請釐清日前提出的移民規則（Immigration Rules）修訂會否影響BNO簽證持有人。

5月12日，英國政府發表新一份移民白皮書《Restoring Control over the Immigration System》，宣布大刀闊斧對合法移民施加新限制。其中一項提出的修訂是大幅提高獲得定居身分的門檻——如果這項修訂適用於BNO簽證移民途徑，將對成千上萬為逃避香港壓迫而來到英國的家庭造成極其嚴重的打擊。

白皮書提議將無限期居留（indefinite leave to remain）資格的標準等待期由目前五年增加一倍至十年。2020年英國國民（海外）（BNO）人道主義簽證計劃推出時，途徑承諾讓BNO護照持有人及其家屬透過「5+1」模式獲得公民身分（五年後獲得無限期居留，再一年後獲得公民身分）。按照計劃在2021年1月啟動計算，首批BNO港人將於7個月後，即2026年1月獲得無限期居留資格。

修訂BNO簽證途徑獲得無限期居留資格的要求，將對這些英國國民造成嚴重影響。缺乏英國公民身分為持有BNO護照的香港人帶來許多問題，包括在出國旅行時無法取得英國領事館協助，以及在提取強積金（MPF）退休儲蓄時遇到種種困難。BNO簽證持有人亦必須繼續支付英國大學高昂的國際生學費——這些費用往往令他們無法接受高等教育。許多香港年輕人在小時候來到英國尋求自由的生活，現在卻面對要等待十年才可以本地生學費資格入讀大學這個殘酷可能性。對某些人來說，他們需要延遲學業和事業抱負，甚至完全放棄這些抱負。

聯署人在信中要求英國政府釐清新規定將如何影響BNO港人，並進一步促請內政部不要違背英國政府對香港人作出的承諾。

請在此處閱覽聯署信全文。

香港監察共同創辦人兼信託人羅傑斯表示：

「英國政府在2020年向香港人作出承諾——這是源自英國對香港的歷史承諾。在BNO港人將他們的未來、希望和畢生積蓄都投入到英國之後，現在違背這項承諾實屬不合情理。

我們正迫切要求英國政府澄清對移民規則的建議修訂將如何影響BNO港人。我們促請英國政府明確表明對BNO簽證途徑的立場，並履行對香港人的承諾。」