Resources and Updates
“The Hong Kong British National Overseas (BN(O)) Welcome Hubs are aware of the impact the news of the recent enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance under Article 23 of the Basic Law in Hong Kong will have had on the BN(O) community across the UK. The Foreign Secretary issued the following statement regarding the new legislation on 19 March: Hong Kong national security legislation: UK statement - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
We continue to work closely with the BN(O) community and the UK Government to understand how the new legislation in Hong Kong could impact Hongkongers who have settled in the UK. If you, or BN(O) visa holders you support, are concerned or anxious about how the new legislation could impact them or their families, please contact your regional Welcome Hub. Any information received will be kept in confidence. Where individuals have concerns for their safety, they are advised to contact the police in the first instance. If you are planning to travel to Hong Kong, we encourage you to consult the latest travel advice ahead of your departure - Hong Kong (SAR of China) travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The Welcome Hubs remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering the Welcome Programme to help BN(O)s build a new life in the UK.”
Resources: Welcoming
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Hong Kong UK Welcome Programme
MHCLG launched a UK-wide Welcome Programme to support those on the BN(O) visa settle into the UK. A network of ‘Hong Kong Welcome Hubs’ has been set up and is hosted by ‘Strategic Migration Partnerships’ (SMPs) across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. SMPs have a coordinating and supporting role in delivering key national priorities on migration across the UK and will play an integral role in the delivery of the Hong Kong UK Welcome Programme and VCSE projects.
You can find an Online Welcome Pack in Traditional Chinese / English with key information provided, including letters of "Certificate of No Criminal Conviction" and "To whom it may concern letter" to facilitate BN(O) Visa holders to settle in the UK. You can also find out more information on Wales on our website - Wales HK Welcome Hub.
Welsh Government
The Sanctuary website has been created to help everyone to understand their rights. The website will also help user to learn about Wales and find out where to find help. People seeking sanctuary are welcome in Wales.
Resources: Advice on your immigration status or application and immigration legal advice
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
Contact UKVI and get help if you have:
• made a mistake in your online application
• problems logging into your account or with your password
• problems with making a payment to UKVI online or pending payments
• questions about your sponsor licence number
• other technical problems with your application
Advice
Anyone who gives you immigration advice must be registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner or be a member of an approved
professional body. You can look for an immigration solicitor or lawyer in Wales here, or seek advice and support from Citizens Advice.
Rights: Participation in democracy and decision making
Former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport qualify Register to vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). You will be able to vote in UK Parliamentary General Elections, Local Council Elections, Senedd Elections and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections.Rights: Register births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
Contact your Local Authority to find out about how to register births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships. Births must be registered within 42 days and deaths must be registered within 5 days.
Rights: Register births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
Contact your Local Authority to find out about how to register births, deaths, marriages and civil partnership. Births must be registered within 42 days and deaths must be registered within 5 days.
Rights: Support on No Recourse of Public Fund (NRPF)
HKBN(O) Visa holders are subjected to NRPF which limits their ability to access some of the social services, but it does not mean no support or resources is available.
Change of Condition
HKBN(O) Visa holders can apply to the Home Office to remove the NRPF in order to access public funds change adversely and people are facing destitution. This will not affect their pathway to apply for settlement / citizenship. For details, please visit Change of Conditions (visas-immigration.service.gov.uk) or contact the Wales Hong Kong Welcome Hub.
Support from Local Authorities (LAs)
Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure there is a provision of a service to provide information, advice and assistance in accessing help to anyone in its area, or with a local connection to its area, who present to them for assistance. You should have access to an assessment of need and not be excluded from benefits or services based on a perception that NRPF rules apply until (or unless) the Home Office confirm the decision of Change of Condition application. You can find your LAs here.
Support from third sectors
Citizens Advice provides free service covering from daily life queries to immigration and legal advice, you can also find out more about NRPF on NPRF network. Many charities provide small grants to support people who cannot claim welfare benefits because of their status in the UK, you can search them on turn2us.
Updates: Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route
April 2024
• enable applicants to extend their permission to stay on the route with access to public funds where they continue to meet the criteria
• enable applicants to access an affordability fee waiver where they are applying for 30 months permission extension and to allow decision makers to add up to 28 days of existing permission onto an applicant’s further permission to stay where the applicant has applied for a 30-month visa
• allow eligible family members of an individual who holds both BN(O) status and British citizenship to apply to the BN(O) route
• allow Adult Dependent Relatives to apply later to join the main applicant in the UK
• remove the requirement for partners and Adult Dependent Relatives to have their permission end on the same date as the main applicant where they can apply to join them later in the UK
• enable those who are on immigration bail solely because they have claimed asylum in the UK to apply to the BN(O) route
• enable British National (Overseas) visa applications from inside the UK if entry was made to the UK as a visitor or if the applicant is in the UK on a different visa and want to switch to a BN(O) visa
March 2024
• UK Gov has updated the travel advice to Hong Kong
January 2024
• remove the need for partners to have been living together for at least 2 years prior to applying for relationship requirement.
April 2023
• extend the concession to allow family members of a main applicant who passes away during the application process to continue to apply to the BN(O) route as if the main applicant were still alive to family members of an adult child of a BN(O) status holder
• extend the concession enabling UKVI to grant 12 months LOTR to applicants who apply from within the UK and do not meet the financial requirement or the ordinarily resident requirement to adult children of BN(O) status holders and their family members.
November 2022
• enable applications to the BN(O) route from individuals aged 18 or over who were born on or after 1 July 1997 and who have at least one BN(O) parent.