UK Home Office commits to changing ETA rules for BNO Hong Kongers

On 5 March, the Minister for Migration and Citizenship Seema Malhotra MP confirmed in Ministerial correspondence to Lord Alton of Liverpool, Patron of Hong Kong Watch, that British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport holders will soon no longer need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK. 

The Home Office has committed to amending the Immigration Rules to this effect at the earliest opportunity. 

Under the current rules, introduced on 8 January 2025, BNO passport holders who do not also hold British citizenship or a valid BNO visa have needed to apply for an ETA ahead of travel to Britain.

Based on consultation with civil society organisations, including Hong Kong Watch, the Home Office decided to change the rules to ensure that no BNO passport holder requires an ETA prior to travel to the UK. This decision was made on the basis of the UK’s historical commitment to BNO Hong Kongers and the fact that, as holders of UK-issued passports, BNO passport holders should be treated similarly to British citizens with passports. 

You can read the full letter from the Home Office to Lord Alton here. 

Thomas Benson, Research and Policy Advisor for Hong Kong Watch, commented: 

“We have received many calls from BNO Hong Kongers concerned about the security and data privacy implications of the current ETA policy. We are glad to see the Home Office listening to these concerns and honouring the UK government’s commitment to British National (Overseas) passport holders, and look forward to this change being imminently implemented.”

英國內政部宣布將修訂移民規則 BNO護照持有人將毋須申請ETA

昨天（3月5日），英國移民及公民事務大臣Seema Malhotra MP在回覆香港監察贊助人奧爾頓勳爵（Lord Alton of Liverpool）的信函中確認有意修訂移民規則，英國國民（海外）（BNO）護照持有人將不再需要在前往英國前申請電子旅行證（ETA）。

內政部已承諾儘快修訂移民規則（Immigration Rules）。

根據在2025年1月8日實施的現行規定，未持有英國公民身分或有效BNO簽證的BNO護照持有人在前往英國前需要申請電子旅行證。

經過與香港監察等民間社會組織協商，內政部決定修改規定，確保BNO護照持有人在前往英國前毋須申請電子旅行證。

這項決定建基在英國對BNO香港人的歷史承諾，以及作為英國簽發的護照，BNO護照持有人應與持有英國護照的公民享有同等待遇。

請在此處閱覽內政部致奧爾頓勳爵的信函全文。

香港監察研究及政策顧問Thomas Benson表示：

「我們收到許多BNO香港人的查詢，他們擔心現行的電子旅行證政策對安全和資料私隱的潛在影響。我們很高興看到內政部傾聽這些憂慮並履行英國政府對英國國民（海外）護照持有人的承諾，並期待新規則儘快實施。」