Hong Kong Watch welcomes UK Government decision to introduce priority service for BNO visa applicants

Hong Kong Watch welcomes the UK Home Office decision to add the Hong Kong BNO route to the list of visas which are eligible for a ‘priority service’ providing application results within five working days.

The change is implemented immediately, and it will cost £500 in addition to the visa application fee and immigration health surcharge.

It brings the BNO visa in line with many of the other working visas (Global Talent, Health and Care worker, Investor, Minister of Religion, Skilled Worker, Student, Temporary Work, among others), although not all of these have eligibility through the ID app.

Making the announcement on Twitter, the Home Office said: “It continues the UK’s unwavering commitment to the people of Hong Kong.”

Following China’s breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration through the imposition of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, the UK Government introduced the BNO visa scheme, with applications opening in January 2021.

As of the end of March this year, there have been a total of 172,500 applications for the BNO visa. 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.

Benedict Rogers, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Watch, said: “We welcome this announcement from the UK Home Office that it will introduce a priority visa service for those applying for the BNO visa.

“This will ensure those who urgently need to leave the city, have an expedited pathway out.

“But we must not forget those who still do not have a route out of Hong Kong. We will continue to push governments to introduce lifeboat visas for Hong Kongers.”