FAQ for Hongkongers

Immigration, BNOs and applying for asylum

香港人關於英國之常見問題解答

移民、英國國民（海外）國籍及申請庇護

About this FAQ / 關於本常見問題解答

This FAQ contains information on immigration and legal matters for Hong Kong BNO holders and non-BNO holders, and those who may be considering seeking asylum. It includes:

本常見問題解答包括關於香港BNO國籍人士和沒有 BNO 國籍人士的移民資訊，以及考慮申請庇護的資訊，當中包括： 

  1. Your right to arrive at and stay in the UK as a BNO holder 作為 BNO 國籍人士你來英入境和居留的權利

    (Note that this is a quickly evolving situation and we will be updating the FAQ to reflect the latest UK government guidance as soon as we can.請注意 BNO 政策狀況發展迅速，如有任何變動，本頁將儘快更新以反映英國政府最新安排。)

  2. Your right to arrive at and stay in the UK as a non-BNO holder 

    沒有 BNO 國籍人士你來英入境和居留的權利

  3. Key considerations if you are considering to claim asylum in the UK 

    申請庇護的資訊



BNO holders: Your rights in the UK / BNO 國籍人士：你在英國的權利

Question 1: I hold a BNO. What are my rights to enter and remain in the UK?

我持有 BNO 護照，我有沒有權入境和在英國居留？

The UK will open a British National Overseas (BNO) visa for British nationals (overseas) and their close family members from 31 January 2021.

The latest guidance from the Home Office at the time of writing can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hong-kong-british-national-overseas-visa-applications.

In summary, the UK Government has recently announced that the new BNO Measures will allow BNO holders, with the following details having been published:

英國政府最近公佈的政策大綱將容許 BNO 人士：

  • A 5-year limited leave to remain (LLR). During this time, you have the right to live and work in almost any capacity.申請為期五年的簽證，期間你可以在英國居留，以幾乎任何身分工作或讀書

  • After 5 years of LLR, you can apply for ‘settled status’, also called ‘indefinite leave to remain’ (ILR).五年連續於英國居留後，你可以申請永久居留（Indefinite leave to remain）身份

  • After 12 months with ILR status, you can apply for full citizenship.獲得永久居留身份後12個月，你可以申請成為英國公民

Please note that you can also apply for asylum as a BNO holder. For more information about seeking asylum in the UK, refer to the relevant section in this FAQ.

請留意你亦可以 BNO 持有人的身分申請難民庇護。請參閱相關章節以了解更多有關在英申請庇護的資訊。


Points to note / 注意事項

  • You are not automatically eligible for the 5-year limited leave to remain (LLR). You have to first go through an application process, and there is no guarantee of success.持有 BNO 不代表你自動擁有或符合五年期居留簽證。你必須自行申請並經過審核，審批過程可能會不成功。

  • You can apply for 5 years’ limited leave to remain right from the start, or a cheaper 30-month limited leave visa (which you will need to renew to make up the 5 years’ limited leave to remain before being able to apply for indefinite leave to remain), which will be cheaper in terms of initial cost and NHS health surcharge, although the Government has indicated that, in terms of visa application fees, the better value will be to apply for 5 years right from the outset. 你可於起初直接申請5年簽證，或申請較廉價的30個月簽證，及後再續領30個月至滿5年。30個月簽證的起始費用及醫療附加費將較低，但英國政府亦表示，就總共的簽證費用而言，直接申請5年簽證將較划算。

Question 2: What do I need to prepare for the application?

申請居留需要準備甚麼？

Similar to other immigration applications, you will likely need to pay a fee when applying for LLR. You will still be subject to standard UK immigration checks. These may include proof of sufficient assets, such as bank statements and payslips, medical examinations, checks on criminality etc. For the initial application, you will need to show that you can support and accommodation yourself for at least 6 months..

與申請其他英國簽證一樣，你需要支付簽證申請費用。你會接受一般的申請審查，當中可能包括財產審查、需要提供銀行月結單和糧單、身體檢查證明，犯罪記錄證明等等。申請時你亦需證明你有能力支持至少6個月的住宿及經濟需要。

You will also need to pay for healthcare in the UK (the ‘immigration health surcharge’) as part of your application. The BNO Measures came into force in January 2021, at which point the immigration health surcharge became £624 per year, i.e. £3,120 for 5 years. If you opt for the 30-month option, then you will need to only pay £1,560 for the 30 months’ limited leave to remain.

你申請簽證時需要支付「移民醫療附加費」。BNO 簽證計劃於2021年1月正式實施，屆時該費用將為 £624 一年，五年共 £3,120。若然你選擇申請為期30個月的簽證，你將只需繳交 £1,560 作為30個月逗留期間的醫療費用。

The application fee is as follows:

  • £180 to apply to stay for 30 months

  • £250 to apply to stay for 5 years

Question 3: What about my family? 

我的家人能受惠嗎？

The BNO Measures will also be open to dependants of BNO holders who are applying together as a family unit, however, the definition of dependants is likely to be limited to legally recognised spouses/partners, and children under 18.

BNO 新政策將開放予 BNO 人士的直系親屬一同以家庭單位申請，不過直系親屬一般只包括 法定配偶和伴侶，以及未滿18歲的子女。

For dependant offsprings who are 18 years old and over, the Home Office has indicated that they will be considered using discretion under “compelling and compassionate circumstances”. For other cases of “exceptional cases of high dependency” adult dependants, for example non-BNO status elderly parents who are being looked after, the Home Office has indicated that they will be considered using discretion on a case-by-case basis. 

You should seek independent legal advice in relation to your own personal circumstances. 

至於已年滿 18 歲的子女，內政部表示將於具說服力及需同情的情況 (compelling and compassionate ciurcumstances) 下酌情處理此類申請。其他對 BNO 持有人高度依賴的成年受養人，例如沒有 BNO 資格的年邁父母，內政部已表示將根據個案的個別情況酌情處理。你應就你的個別情況徵詢獨立法律意見。

Question 4: What rights and benefits will I be entitled to in the UK?

You can:

You cannot:

Your children will be able to:

  • attend school if they are under 18 (all state schools are free)

  • attend education and training if they are aged 16 to 19


Non-BN(O) holders: Your rights in the UK / 非 BNO 國籍人士：你在英國的權利

I only hold a Hong Kong SAR passport, not a BNO. What are my rights to enter and remain in the UK?

我只持有香港特區謢照，沒有 BNO，我究竟有甚麼權利？

Your Hong Kong SAR passport gives you a 6-month stay in the UK without a visa. You will have visitor status and cannot work legally, nor access the NHS, in the UK during this time. You can do up to 30 days of study, as long as it’s not the main reason for your visit. 

持有特區護照可以無需簽證而遊客身份入境英國六個月，期間禁止工作和免費使用 NHS 服務。只要讀書不是你到訪英國的主要原因，你可以在英就讀不超過30日的課程。

Stay in the UK for less than 6 months / 在英國逗留少過六個月

You can use the UK as a transit gateway before your onward journey to another country. For example, you may choose to stay in the UK while applying for a visa to stay in another country. However, please be aware that if you plan to apply for asylum in another country, the time you spent in the UK may count against your claim as the UK is considered a ‘safe country’.

你可以選擇英國作為你去其他國家的中轉站。例如，可以選擇在到訪英國期間等待其他國家的簽證申請。請留意，若你打算離開英國後在第二個國家申請難民庇護，因英國普遍被視為「安全」的國家，你曾在英國逗留而沒有申請政治庇護的決定可能會被有關部門納入考慮因素，這或會影響你申請可信程度的評估。

Stay in the UK for longer than 6 months / 在英國逗留多過六個月

You have several options if you wish to stay in the UK for longer than 6 months. 

如果你想在英國逗留多過六個月，你有下列選項：

If you are 18-30 years old, you may apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme (Tier 5) visa which allows you to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years. You will need to apply from outside the UK before you arrive and you must have at least £1,890 in savings. More information here: https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-youth-mobility

如果你介乎 18 指 30 歲，我可以申請工作假期簽證（Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme），此類簽證容許你在英國居留和工作 不超過兩年。但你需要在英國以外的地方申請並且必須擁有至少 1,890 英鎊的儲蓄。詳細情形請參考：https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-youth-mobility

There are also other visa categories that you may be eligible to apply for if you wish to work or study in the UK, for example Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 4. Tiers 1 and 2 visas are for work purposes, and Tier 4 visas are for study purposes. You can find out more about visas for work and study in the UK below: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/student-visas.

如果你想來英國工作或讀書，你可以考慮申請現行移民制度的其他簽證，包括 Tier 1、Tier 2、Tier 4簽證等。Tier 1 及 Tier 2 為工作簽證，而 Tier 4 則為學生簽證。你可以在以下網站尋找更多簽證相關資訊：https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/student-visas

The UK is overhauling and amending its Points Based System, and therefore this area is likely to be subject to change.

英國政府正改革及修訂移民 Points Based System 評分制度，故這方面的資訊仍會有變。



Seek asylum in the UK / 在英申請庇護

You may apply for asylum to stay in the UK as a refugee if you feel you are unable to go back to your place of origin (Hong Kong) due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on five reasons as set out in the Refugee Convention, including your actual or perceived political opinion. 

如果你認為你有具有合理和充分的理由而畏懼返港後會因難民地位公約中所列出的五種原因，包括你被認為或實際的政見而受到逼害，你可以選擇申請庇護並在獲批後以難民身份居留英國。

You may apply immediately on arrival to the UK. You may also apply after entering the UK, although the Home Office expects asylum seekers to make their claim at the earliest possible opportunity. If you do not do so, it is open to the Home Office to take this into account and it may affect the Home Office’s assessment of the credibility of your claim. 

你可以在飛抵英國時在邊境即時申請，或者先以旅客身份入境後再作申請。但內政部一般要求尋求庇護者儘早遞交申請。若然你抵埗後未有儘早申請，內政部有權將此納入考慮因素，這或影響內政部對申請可信程度的評估。

There is no hard and fast rule about what supporting materials are needed for an asylum claim but it is your duty to prove your claim of well-founded fear of persecution based on your political opinion. It is therefore a good idea to gather and record as much information and evidence as you can in order to support your application before you travel to the UK, or have a way to access it in the UK if you cannot bring anything physically.

嚴格來說，法例沒有規定申請庇護者必需具備何種證據來支持其申請，不過你有責任證明你留在香港會有「正當理由畏懼」基於政見的逼害。有關資料及證據最好在你離開香港前準備妥當，或者確保你抵達英國後能繼續存取。

More information can be found on the UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/claim-asylum

更多資訊請參閱政府網站：

https://www.gov.uk/claim-asylum



What rights and benefits will I be entitled to in the UK as an asylum seeker?

申請庇護期間我在英國有甚麼權利和福利？

You will not be allowed to work or study while your asylum application is under consideration. The Home Office aims to make a decision on straightforward claims within 6 months, although in reality the Home Office takes longer to resolve most cases. If your application takes longer than one year to process, you may apply for permission to work. You will only be allowed to take up a job which is included in the shortage occupation list. The shortage occupation list can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-k-shortage-occupation-list.

庇護申請處理期間你不可以再英國工作和讀書。就簡單申請個案而言，內政部的目標是在六個月內作出決定，但實際上大部分個案將需時更長。如果你的庇護申請過程超過一年時間，你可以在等待庇護審批結果時申請工作許可。惟此工作許可只容許你進行某種工種的工作，通常只限於短缺工種表上的工作。請參考： https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-k-shortage-occupation-list.

As an asylum seeker, if you are homeless or need financial help, you may qualify for free housing and a weekly allowance of £37.75 while your application is being processed. Note that you will not be able to choose where you live and it is unlikely to be in London or south-east England. You will be able to access healthcare through the NHS while waiting for your asylum application decision.

申請庇護期間，有需要或無家可歸的可以入住政府提供的免費住所，以及獲發每週 £37.75 的生活費。你亦可以使用 NHS 服務。但請注意你將無法選擇你的居住地，庇護申請者亦多數不會被分配到倫敦或英國東南部。

More information here / 更多資訊:

https://www.gov.uk/asylum-support/what-youll-get


Points to note / 注意事項

  • The processing times for asylum applications can be extremely long. The UK Home Office gives an estimate of 6 months after the asylum interview, but sometimes it can take several years. You should also consider that the time for an asylum claim to be resolved may not be limited to awaiting a decision from the Home Office, as you may need to appeal should the Home Office make an initial decision to refuse your asylum claim.庇護審核的時間可能非常長。英國内政部一般預計首次面試後要大概六個月時間審核，不過很多時候整個過程所需時間上年計。你亦須考慮若果內政部否決你的申請，申請上訴所需的時間。

  • You may be liable to be detained by the Home Office as an asylum seeker in the UK in certain circumstances. You should seek legal advice about the legality of your detention should the Home Office detain you.內政部有可能在特殊情況下把你拘留。如你被内政部拘留，請立刻徵詢獨立的法律意見。

  • You can also apply for asylum in countries such as Australia and Canada. Every country has different policies regarding asylum seekers, e.g. in Canada you may be able to apply for a work permit while waiting for your application to process.英國以外，你亦可向加拿大和澳洲等國家申請庇護。每一個國家都有不同的庇護政策，例如加拿大容許庇護申請人在等候結果期間申請工作許可。

  • You may not be able to apply for asylum in another country if you apply in the UK and your application is rejected. If you are able to apply, the rejection in the UK may be considered in future applications. You should seek independent legal advice about this.如果你在英國申請庇護後不成功，你有可能半不能再到其他國家申請，例如加拿大。即時有其他國家接受你的申請，英國的申請不成功日後可能會影響其他國家對你的審批。請徵詢獨立的法律意見。

  • There are also some countries where there are agreements in relation to which state has responsibility for asylum claims, and as such, if you have made a claim in one of these countries and subsequently come to claim asylum in the UK, you may be returned to the country where you first made an asylum claim. For example, this will apply with most European countries at present. You should seek independent legal advice about this.部分國家亦會互相就何國需負責處理庇護申請的問題制定協議，如你曾經在此類國家（例如大部分歐洲國家）申請庇護，然後到英國再度申請，你有可能會被送回你原先申請庇護的國家。你應就此尋求獨立法律意見。

  • The process, requirements and processing time for asylum applications differ between countries and based on your individual circumstances. Please consult a qualified legal advisor for further information about your situation.每一個國家的庇護申請過程，要求，所需審批時間都不同，而每一項申請都將根據你的實際情況而決定。請先向合資格法律顧問查詢關於自己的特殊情況。


Further information / 其他資訊

Find a Solicitor - Law Society / 尋求律師協助 - 英國律師會: https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/

Citizens’ Advice Bureau / 英國公民諮詢局: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

UK Gov - How to claim asylum / 英國政府網 - 如何申請庇護: https://www.gov.uk/claim-asylum

Legal Disclaimer / 法律免責聲明

The information in this FAQ does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice⁠—all information, content, and materials are for general informational purposes only. The information provided may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.  

本頁資訊不能視為正式的法律諮詢，所有資訊，文字，內容只作參考用途。本頁所提供的法律資訊可能並非最新及合時。所有資料均以英文版為準。

You should contact a lawyer to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter for your specific situation. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of information in this FAQ without first seeking advice from a qualified lawyer with the relevant expertise.

你應該針對你的具體情況和律師聯繫以獲得正式的法律意見。在未事先徵求相關司法管轄區法律顧問的意見前，你不應基於本常見問題解答中的資訊而採取或避免採取任何行動。