Almost 5,000 Hongkongers have already applied for the UK’s visa route a fortnight after the scheme opened, The Times has learnt.The new immigration route for British National Overseas (BNO) citizens
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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.”
Hong Kong residents now eligible for special UK visaInternational 2021-02-01, by Editor Comments Off 2
A visa scheme to allow Hong Kong residents to come to the UK opens on Sunday, with some 300,000 people expected to apply.
The visa, which is open to holders of a British National (Overseas) passport and their immediate dependents, will offer a fast track to UK citizenship.
But the Chinese foreign ministry said it would no longer recognise the BNO passport as a travel document.
The UK launched the new visa after China imposed a new security law.
Those who apply and secure the visa will be able to apply for settlement after five years and then British citizenship after a further 12 months.