Over 190,000 Hong Kongers apply for UK’s BNO visa

A total of 191,000 people have applied for the British National (Overseas) visa in the two-and-a-half years since its opening. 

In the latest quarter, from July to September, 11,500 people arrived in the UK.

This marks a slight uptick from the last three quarters, which is likely to do with the start of the new school year starting in September.

Benedict Rogers, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Watch said: “Nearly three years after it was first launched, the BNO visa is still a crucial lifeline for thousands of Hong Kongers fleeing the increasing repression of their home city. 

“As survey research by VCSE Grant-funded organisation the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers has shown, 99 percent of BNO visa holders in the UK intend to apply for citizenship. They are here to build new lives and to become British citizens. 

“Leaving home permanently can be a difficult experience. The recent decision to provide £2.5 million in funding for mental health support for young Hong Kongers, among other refugee groups, was a welcome move by the UK government, especially since the decision to open the BNO scheme to those born after 1997.

“But we should ensure that those who wish to leave are able to do so without fear. Beijing’s decision to no longer recognise the BNO passport has led to many Hong Kongers being unable to withdraw their savings from Hong Kong’s retirement savings scheme, the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF). This is a punitive action to dissuade Hong Kongers from leaving their city by targeting their finances.

“We will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of Hong Kongers to ensure they have the financial resources to which they are entitled, and that UK and Canada-based institutions are fulfilling their responsibilities as trustees of the Mandatory Provident Fund.” 

In Canada, meanwhile, applications for the Stream B Pathway for Hong Kongers were reported to have increased by 70 percent, following the relaxation of the education requirement for those Hong Kongers who have moved to Canada under the Open Work Permit to gain permanent residency. 

The BNO visa allows British National (Overseas) status holders and their dependents to live, work, and study in the UK for five years, after which point they can apply for settlement, and then will be eligible for British citizenship one year after.

The Home Office Impact Assessment on the BNO visa policy published in October 2020 estimated 258,000 to 322,400 people from Hong Kong will arrive over the first five years of the scheme.