Advertisement
Exclusive | Hongkongers applied for British National (Overseas) passports in record numbers in 2019 as protests rocked city, with eightfold increase over previous year
- Unprecedented surge was not triggered by the national security law imposed by Beijing on June 30 but it continued unabated in the first half of 2020
- Total number of identity documents issued in 2019 soared to 154,218, nearly an eightfold increase from the previous year, official British data shows
Reading Time:5 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Hongkongers renewed their British National (Overseas) passports or applied for the travel document in record numbers in 2019 when the city was rocked by months of anti-government protests, marking an eightfold increase over all applications in 2018.
The unprecedented surge was not triggered by the national security law imposed by Beijing on June 30 but it continued unabated in the first half of 2020 and anecdotal evidence suggests it was further fuelled by fears sparked by the draconian legislation.
By July this year, those who succeeded with their renewals and applications found themselves in possession of a more valuable document when Britain undertook a major policy shift to allow Hongkongers a clear pathway to citizenship.
Advertisement
Data obtained by the Post through a British government Freedom of Information Request showed the total number of identity documents issued in 2019 soared to 154,218, nearly an eightfold increase from the previous year.
Advertisement
The number who applied to renew their passports in the same period went from 14,297 to 119,892.
This year, there have been some 32,813 renewals up to the end of June, becoming the second largest volume of renewals since 2006 and on pace to rise significantly as anecdotal evidence suggests the vast majority of applications have yet to be processed.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x