Thousands more Hong Kongers will be able to build new lives in Britain as the government strengthens safe and legal routes to the UK.
Adult children of British National (Overseas) status holders who were under 18 at the time of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China will now be eligible to apply for the route independently of their parents.
Their partners and children will also be able to move to the UK under the expanded route. It is estimated 26,000 people will arrive in the UK over the next 5 years.
The expansion honours the UK’s historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong and comes amid continuing deterioration of rights and freedoms in the territory.
Today’s sentencing of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, for 20 years, shows how the Beijing-imposed National Security Law has criminalised dissent, prompting many to leave the territory. The Prime Minister raised Mr Lai’s case directly with President Xi during his visit, opening up discussion of the UK’s most acute concerns directly with the Chinese government, at the highest levels. Now that the sentencing has happened, the government will rapidly engage further on Mr Lai’s case.
In November, the Home Secretary further affirmed her commitment to Hong Kongers by confirming they will retain a 5-year pathway to permanent UK settlement – compared to a new standard baseline of 10 years’ residence for most other migrants.
As part of the most sweeping reforms to the asylum system in a generation, the government has announced plans to create new humanitarian routes for those genuinely fleeing war and persecution. The capped routes will offer safe and legal alternatives to dangerous small boat crossings to people around the world and be established once order has been restored to Britain’s borders.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said
This country will always honour its historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong.
We are proud to have already provided a safe haven to almost 170,000 Hong Kongers since 2021. In the face of the continued deterioration of rights and freedoms, we are now expanding eligibility so more families can build new lives here.
While we must restore order and control to our borders, the British people will always welcome those in genuine need of sanctuary.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said
Though Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms continue to erode, this government’s support for its people remains steadfast, and that’s why we are ensuring that young people who missed out on resettlement protection because of their age will now be covered.
Since the BN(O) route was launched, over 230,000 people have been granted a visa and almost 170,000 have moved to the UK.
The route’s expansion closes a gap in eligibility that has led to unfair outcomes within families, with some children able to resettle and others not.
In September, the government extended the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme by another year. The UK has offered a safe place to live for 310,000 Ukrainians and their families while the war with Russia continues.
Since 2021, the UK has also welcomed over 37,000 Afghans and their families, including over 12,000 who supported British troops during operations in the country.