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The UK’s Hong Kong BNO visa permits British Nationwide (Abroad) (BN(O)) from Hong Kong, and their speedy members of the family, to reside, work and examine within the UK. The BNO visa is a path to indefinite go away to stay and British citizenship.
Previous to 31 January 2021, BNO passport holders might go to the UK for as much as six months with out a visa. The Hong Kong BN(O) visa was launched by the UK Authorities in response to China’s parliament imposing a extreme safety legislation on Hong Kong.
The visa extends the rights of BNO nationals to settle within the UK. Key options of the route are as follows:
| Characteristic | Remark |
| Limitless variety of visas | There will likely be no cap on the variety of Hong Kong BNO visas issued. |
| Lenient eligibility standards | There will likely be no expertise or minimal earnings necessities relevant to this route. |
| Dependants additionally eligible | Candidates can convey their speedy dependants, together with non-BNO residents. |
| No job or sponsorship crucial | Candidates is not going to have to have discovered a job to be eligible – they will search for work as soon as within the UK. |
| 5-year visa length | Purposes could be made for an preliminary interval of 30 months, extendable by an additional 30 months, or as a single utility for the complete 5 years. |
| Path to settlement & citizenship | After 5 years within the UK underneath the Hong Kong BNO visa, holders can develop into eligible for UK indefinite go away to stay. After 12 months with ILR, they will develop into eligible for British citizenship. |
| No BNO passport crucial | Candidates don’t have to have a BNO passport to be eligible for the Hong Kong BNO visa. |
| Permission to work & examine | Visa holders is not going to want to hunt further permission to work or examine within the UK. |
| Entry to healthcare | Visa holders will be capable to entry the NHS, having paid the Immigration Well being Surcharge. |
| Entry to public schooling | Visa holders’ dependent kids can attend state college. |
| Apply within the UK or from abroad | Purposes could be comprised of throughout the UK or outdoors. |
| Chargeable for tax | Visa holders pays nationwide insurance coverage and earnings tax. |
| No restrictions on employment | Visa holders may have entry to the job market at any talent degree and with out wage threshold, and could be self-employed. |
To be eligible for the Hong Kong BNO visa, candidates should be 18 or over, have British nationwide (abroad) standing and ordinarily be resident in Hong Kong, the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
You’ll not have to have a sound BNO passport to make your utility, because the Dwelling Workplace ought to be capable to examine your standing from data.
Candidates might want to show their id, for instance utilizing any relevant nationality passport.
You do not want to have a BN(O) passport to use, supplied you meet the opposite eligibility standards.
BN(O) visa holders should show they will present home and financially help themselves and their dependant members of the family for six months.
The extent of funds required will rely on what number of members of the family are making use of with you, and might want to cowl lodging prices and be at the least the equal degree of Revenue Assist within the UK. As a information, this is able to be round:
You may meet this requirement both by way of earnings, financial savings or assist from household or buddies.
The monetary requirement doesn’t apply if in case you have already been within the UK for at the least 12 months.
Your dependants may be eligible to use with you for the BN(O) visa.
Dependant members of the family might embrace your:
Dependants also needs to usually reside with you.
Youngsters over the age of 18 are ordinarily not classed as dependants underneath the UK immigration guidelines. Likewise, these born after 1997 are usually not eligible for BNO standing, neither is it not potential to use for BNO standing or for BNO residents to move their standing on to their kids. Nevertheless, the definition of dependants for the BN(O) visa particularly contains this cohort.
Grownup kids who are usually not eligible for the BN(O) visa might want to think about different immigration routes primarily based on their circumstances, similar to a piece or examine visa:
Candidates may have the selection to use for a 5 yr visa, or to use for a 30-month visa, with the choice to resume this for an additional 30 months.
Full the BN(O) visa purposes on-line. You’ll then have to make an appointment at an area Visa Utility Centre to submit your biometric info and confirm your id.
From 23 February, purposes could be made utilizing an app to show your id if in case you have a BNO, Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area (HKSAR) or EEA e-passport. The app is predicted to expedite processing.
If you’re already within the UK on a unique visa, you may apply to modify to the BN(O) visa.
In case your visa has already expired, similar to your 6 month customer visa, you may nonetheless apply by 31 March 2021 supplied:
The BN(O) utility needs to be made on-line, adopted by an appointment at a UKVCAS centre the place you’ll have to submit your identification, supporting paperwork and biometric info.
From 23 February, as a substitute of attending a UKVCAS centre, you may confirm your id utilizing an app, if in case you have a BNO, Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area (HKSAR) or EEA e-passport.
Every member of the family has to use for a similar interval of go away as you, ie two and a half years or 5 years.
After getting submitted your utility, you may be issued a World Net Type (GWF) or a Distinctive Utility Quantity (UAN). Your dependant members of the family might want to use this reference quantity to make their very own utility. Dependant purposes must be made on the identical day as you make your main utility.
Be aware additionally that kids underneath 18 have to use with each of their dad and mom, except one guardian or grandparent has sole duty for them.
Each you and your loved ones members might want to show in your particular person purposes that you’ve got a qualifying relationship and that you just reside with one another.
It’s not potential for a dependant to use after your visa choice has been made.
The BN(O) visa utility payment is £180 for a 2 and a half yr visa, or £250 for a 5 yr visa. The payment is payable per applicant.
Most candidates can even need to pay the Immigration Well being Surcharge on the time of constructing the appliance, to cowl the related visa interval (30 months or 5 years). The Immigration Well being Surcharge is now £624 per visa holder per yr, with a diminished charge for kids. For a 5-year visa, it will equate to £3,120 per grownup and £2,350 for candidates underneath 18 years of age.
As well as, every applicant can even have to pay £19.20 to submit biometric info.
In addition to finishing the appliance type, additionally, you will have to submit documentation to proof your eligibility in relation to nationality, residence, upkeep, relationship to your dependants
BN(O) passport holders can use their passport (even when expired) to show their standing. This may expedite processing, however isn’t a compulsory requirement because the Dwelling Workplace will nonetheless be capable to entry data to substantiate your standing.
You will have to supply three completely different, current paperwork proving you may have a everlasting residence in Hong Kong, the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
If members of the family are making use of with you, they can even have to supply proof that they reside with you, with at the least one doc dated not more than 31 days earlier than the appliance similar to a duplicate of a wedding or civil partnership certificates or delivery certificates.
You might also want to supply a TB take a look at certificates (from an authorised take a look at centre and not more than 6 months outdated) if in case you have been dwelling in Hong Kong or one other nation the place you must take a TB take a look at for the previous 6 months, otherwise you didn’t present a TB take a look at certificates if you got here to the UK.
After 5 years within the UK underneath the Hong Kong BNO visa, holders develop into eligible to use for indefinite go away to stay. The ILR utility requires candidates to point out steady residence within the UK through the qualifying 5-year interval. This implies having absences from the nation of not more than 180 days in any 12-month interval through the 5 years.
With ILR, you might be not topic to immigration management and may stay within the UK indefinitely. Do you have to be absent fro the UK for greater than 2 years, your ILR standing will possible expire.
With 12 months ILR standing, you might then develop into eligible to register as a British citizen underneath s4 of the British Nationality Act 1981. This requires you to finish Type B(OTA) and pay the registration payment of £1,225.20. Non-BNO members of the family, nonetheless, are anticipated to need to naturalise as a British citizen, a unique course of to registration which can also be dearer at £1,349.20.
DavidsonMorris are UK immigration specialists. We have now substantial expertise of advising Hong Kong nationals throughout all varieties of UK visa purposes. When you’ve got a question concerning the BN(O) visa, your eligibility for the route or tips on how to apply, contact us.
You might be eligible if in case you have British Nationwide (Abroad) standing, are 18 or over and you reside completely both in Hong Kong, or in case you are making use of from the UK, you reside within the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. Dependant members of the family may be eligible to use with you.
The UK’s British Nationwide (Abroad) visa permits eligible people to reside, work and examine within the UK, and after 5 years, gives a path to settlement.
You apply on-line for the BN(O) visa, both from abroad or from the UK. You will have to submit supporting proof and pay the appliance and immigration charges.
Final up to date: 31 January 2021
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