Hong Kong’s Democratic Party has urged Britain to do more than its current assurances and provide the right of abode or full citizenship to British National (Overseas) passport holders who are alarmed by the new national security law that Beijing is preparing for the city. The opposition party issued the plea in a letter to British Home Secretary Priti Patel who wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week proposing a defined immigration route for Hongkongers with BN(O) status and their dependants, including the right to apply for citizenship once they have lived in the country for five years. Her suggestion goes further than Johnson’s promise earlier this month to extend visa rights and offer a “path to citizenship” for the more than 3 million people who have or are eligible for the passport, if China pursues the security legislation, but still falls short of the intervention sought by the Democratic Party. How will London’s plan to relax visa rules affect BN(O) passport holders? The Home Office said on Wednesday that it would not comment on “leaked documents”. A spokesman said: “The home secretary has been very clear that the UK will continue to defend the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. “We are working closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.” Beijing’s decision to introduce a national security law tailor-made for Hong Kong prompted Johnson on June 3 to announce that, should the legislation pass, the United Kingdom would change its immigration rules and offer those Hongkongers holding or eligible for the BN(O) passport the chance to stay in the European nation for 12 months. Passport holders would also be given further immigration rights, including the right to work. The prime minister said this would put them on the path to citizenship, but did not give a time frame. Emily Lau Wai-hing, chairwoman of the Democratic Party’s international affairs committee, called on Britain “to go one step further” to reassure this group of passport holders. Lau sought to address potential concerns that hundreds of thousands of people would arrive in Britain by saying she did not think that would happen immediately. “It’s a lifeboat, because I think many people do not want to leave Hong Kong, but they are terrified. If they have citizenship in their back pocket, they will stay until things go very wrong. “Then, of course, they will bail out,” she said, adding an improved offer should be made regardless of whether national security law is passed. Extradition may be possible under Hong Kong national law, NPCSC delegate says BN(O) passports were issued to Hongkongers born before the city’s 1997 handover from British to Chinese sovereignty. Under current rules, they can visit Britain for up to six months, but the documents do not automatically allow them to work or live there. Around 350,000 people in Hong Kong already have a BN(O) passport, but 2.9 million others are eligible for the status. The Democratic Party said it had received more than 2,500 inquiries from those carrying the status, with the main concern relating to the passport renewal process. The national security legislation, likely to be passed this month at the earliest, aims to prevent, stop and punish acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city’s affairs. The central government’s decision to impose the law on Hong Kong has triggered widespread concern it could effectively criminalise all forms of dissent and opposition activity, although Beijing and the local administration has repeatedly offered reassurances it would only target a small, criminal minority, with the city still threatened by violent protesters . What is Hong Kong’s national security law? As well as proposing a clear pathway to citizenship in the letter to Johnson on June 12, Patel offered to change the rules, if the law was passed, to allow BN(O) passport holders to enter while the scheme was being set up, even if they expressed an intention to stay for more than six months. BN(O) holders and their dependants, which Patel suggested should include a spouse or partner and children under 18, would be able to apply for citizenship after five years and would have the right to work or study during that time. Speaking to the Post , Lau said she understood the five-year path to citizenship was the normal process, but added Hong Kong was a special case. “If you think you have a responsibility for the people, why don't you discharge it completely?” Lau said. Lau said the party had written a letter to the home secretary detailing their concerns and requests on the issue, which included asking for a special scheme to help those born after 1997. Britain’s move was attacked in Beijing, with the Chinese foreign ministry warning of retaliation last month, saying London had agreed the passport holders should not enjoy residency rights in the UK and that the offer violated international law. Beijing hits back as Boris Johnson promises to ease visa rules for Hongkongers A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, plans to leave the city this year. The 24-year-old engineering student hopes to find a job in the industry in the United Kingdom. While he welcomed the prospect of citizenship, he said he would follow the plan as outlined by the British government. “I do not want to leave, but it is horrible to see my home becoming less and less familiar. I worry about my safety if I stay after the law is passed,” he said. Additional reporting by Stuart Lau