The Home Office officially opened the new UK BNO visa route on 31 January, exclusively for Hong Kong nationals. Following controversial security laws imposed on the Special Administrative Region in 2020 by China, the UK government opened the BNO visa scheme to provide some three million Hong Kong nationals with a pathway to UK citizenship.
Despite repeated threats made by Beijing over the UK’s perceived interference in China’s affairs, Westminster has stood firm over its decision to introduce the BNO visa scheme. Downing Street said: “We will not look the other way on Hong Kongers with British National (Overseas) status.”