BNO Visa Guide for Hong Kong British National (Overseas)

The British National (Overseas) visa is a visa specifically for Hong Kong nationals who also have BN(O) status, allowing them to come and live and work in the UK.

Hong Kong nationals could apply for BN(O) status prior to 1 July 1997. British overseas territories citizens from Hong Kong who did not register for this status and had no other nationality or citizenship on 30 June 1997 automatically obtained BN(O) status as of 1 July 1997.

It is not possible to apply for BN(O) status. However, children of BN(O) status holders can apply for a BN(O) visa, as long as they are 18 or older and were born on or after 1 July 1979.

With a BN(O) visa, individuals and their family members can come and live and work in the UK (with some restrictions). The visa also allows holders to apply for indefinite leave to remain, and eventually, British citizenship (if eligible).

Page Contents

• British National Overseas visa route
• Who can apply for the Hong Kong BNO Visa?
• Travelling with dependants
• Documents Required for the BN(O) Visa
• BN(O) Visa Application Process
• BNO Visa financial requirements
• What can I and can’t I do on a BN(O) Visa?
• How much does a BNO Visa cost?
• Can I Extend My BN(O) Visa?
• How to Settle in the UK with a BN(O) Visa
• Applying for Citizenship in the UK
• How London Immigration Lawyers Can Help

You can apply for the BN(O) visa if you meet all of the requirements below:

• You hold BN(O) status or you are the child of someone with BN(O) status and you were born on or after 1 July 1979
• You are 18 or over
• You live in Hong Kong (if applying from outside the UK)
• You live in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Hong Kong (if applying from inside the UK)
• You have enough money to support yourself (including housing costs) and any family members coming with you to the UK for 6 months

A legitimate travel document is required for all candidates. Passports from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are accepted for entry into the United Kingdom.

You may apply for this permit on behalf of any additional family members who reside with you. You may incorporate the following categories in your application:

• Civil partner, spouse, or unmarried partner
• Your kids that are younger than 18
• Adult children (and their spouse and minor children) born on or after July 1, 1997
• In unusual instances, other family members (grandparents, parents, siblings)

You must submit your application at the same time as your family members. If not, they won’t be able to travel to the UK or seek for this visa to subsequently join you there.

You will need to submit the following documents with your BN(O) visa application in order for it to be approved:

• A valid passport or other travel document
• A current or expired BN(O) passport to demonstrate your BN(O) status (if you no longer have one, the Home Office may be able to check your status independently although this may delay the application process)
• Proof of your home address, such as household bills, payslips or other official documents
• Proof you have enough money to support you and your family in the UK for at least 6 months, such as bank statements, proof of income or a letter confirming accommodation
• Evidence of relationship with family members, such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate
• Tuberculosis test results (if applying from Hong Kong)
• Proof of parent’s BN(O) status and proof of your family relationship with them (if applying as a child of a BN(O) status holder)

The application process for the BN(O) visa will differ based on whether you’ll be applying from outside the UK or from inside the UK.

How to Apply from Outside the UK

To apply for the BN(O) visa from outside the UK, you must first start and submit an application via the official gov.uk website.

After filling in the online form, you will be asked to prove your identity either through the UK Immigration: ID Check app on your phone or at an appointment at a local visa application centre.

You will require your passport for both options. If you are asked to attend an appointment, you will have your biometrics information (photograph and fingerprints) taken.

You will also be asked to upload your supporting documents, either during the online application or at your appointment.

How to Apply from Inside the UK

To apply for the BN(O) visa from inside the UK, you must first start and submit an application via the official gov.uk website.

You can apply for this visa from inside the UK if you’re in the country as a visitor, you’re switching from a different visa or if you’ve made an asylum claim.

Note that if you have an outstanding asylum claim, you should only withdraw it after you’ve completed and submitted your BN(O) visa application.

After filling in the online form, you will be asked to prove your identity either through the UK Immigration: ID Check app on your phone or at an appointment at a local UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

If you are asked to attend an appointment, the centre may be required to retain your passports and documents while your application is processed.

You must not travel outside of the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man until you reach a decision on your application.

To be eligible for a BN(O) visa you must demonstrate that you can accommodate and support yourself and your dependant family members financially for at least 6 months once in the UK.

As evidence of your circumstances, you must provide the following:

• Bank statements
• Written statements from friends or family offering financial support or accommodation

You will need to demonstrate that you have access to the equivalent amount of money that someone in the UK receiving income support would typically receive in addition to having the financial means to demonstrate that you can afford housing costs. Whether and how many family members will be applying with you will determine how much you will need.

You will need roughly:

• £2,000 for an adult single.
• £3,100 for a family with a kid.
• £4,600 for a couple with three kids.
• £9,200 for a married couple with two parents and two grown children.

While in the UK on a BN(O) Visa, there are some restrictions on your ability to live, work, and attend school. You cannot work as a professional athlete or coach in the UK, and you typically cannot receive public funds while in the UK.

But in some cases, those with BN(O) visas could be able to qualify for benefits. For example, if you:

• Lack a place to reside and are unable to afford one
• Have a place to live but cannot pay basic expenses like heating or food.
• Possibly in danger of losing your home or unable to pay for basic expenses
• Have a very low income and your dependant would suffer if you didn’t have access to benefits

BNO visa application fee

If you’re applying for two years and six months, the BNO Visa application form costs £206; if you’re applying for five years, it costs £285.

Immigration Healthcare Surcharge

You and your family members will also have to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge (IHS) as part of your application. This will be necessary for you to be able access NHS healthcare services while in the UK.

For adults, the cost is £1035 a year. For applicants under 18, the fee is reduced to £776 a year.

You can extend your BN(O) visa while in the UK as long as you still continue to meet all of the requirements that applied when you first obtained your visa.

You must submit your application for an extension before your current visa expires.

Note that if you intend to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), you should not apply earlier than 28 days before your current visa expires in order to meet the 5 year residency requirement when you eventually apply for ILR.

In order to extend your visa, you must submit an application via the official gov.uk website. You will also have to prove your identity either by using the UK Immigration: ID Check app on your phone or attending an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

If you have any children under 18, they will generally need to apply to extend their visas at the same time as you. Other types of family members, however, can generally apply for extensions separately from you.

After living in the UK continuously for 5 years, you may become eligible for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).

In order to be eligible, you must:

• Have lived in the UK for at least 5 years with a BN(O) visa and/or another eligible visa (the total combined time spent in the UK with eligible visas must be at least 5 years)
• Have not spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 month period
• Pass the Life in the UK Test
• Meet the English language requirements by passing an approved language test or showing proof of a relevant educational qualification
• Be able to pay the £3,226 application fee

Applications for ILR must be made online via the official gov.uk website. You will normally receive a decision on your application within 6 months.

After obtaining ILR status, you will be able to live and work in the UK without restriction and without the need to continually update your status. You will also be able to access benefits and public funds.

After spending one year in the UK with ILR status, you may be able to apply for British citizenship.

To be eligible for UK citizenship, you must fulfil the following criteria. You must:

• Be over 18
• Prove you have been in the UK for at least 5 years
• Not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the 5 years before your application, or spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
• Prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
• Have passed the life in the UK test
• Intend to continue living in the UK
• Be of good character
• Not have broken any UK laws or immigration laws

Applications for citizenship must be submitted via the official gov.uk website. It costs £1,709 to apply.

Your family members can usually apply for citizenship with you as long as they meet the requirements. Note that your child is automatically classed as a British citizen if they were born in the UK while you had ILR status.