British government turns down proposal to extend Hong Kong BN(O) visa scheme to adult children of eligible parties
- The proposed amendment would have expanded eligibility to include Hongkongers aged 18 to 25 who do not possess BN(O) status, but whose parents do
- However, the government found the amendment too broad, saying its scope could conceivably cover those who had never even set foot in Hong Kong
Immigration minister Kevin Foster told the House of Commons on Tuesday that the government had “issues” with the new clause as drafted, saying it was too broad and its scope could conceivably cover those who had never even set foot in Hong Kong.
However, the matter is expected to be raised again when the amendment to the Nationality and Borders Bill goes before the House of Lords.
Foster on Tuesday pointed to other pathways to Britain for young people ineligible for the BN(O) route, such as a youth mobility scheme and student visas.
“We believe these existing measures allow a lot of people to come [to Britain],” he said.
The youth mobility scheme – whose 1,000 annual openings Foster said were “undersubscribed” – allows people aged 18 to 30 to live and work in Britain for up to two years.
By contrast, the BN(O) visa scheme for Hongkongers allows successful applicants to live, work and study in the country for up to five years, and apply for citizenship after six.
But only Hongkongers born before June 30, 1997 – the day before the city’s handover from UK to Chinese rule – were eligible for British National (Overseas) status, making even the youngest recipients 24 years old now. While the visa scheme allows BN(O) status holders to immigrate along with their dependents, it does not allow the children of eligible parties to apply independently of their parents.