Applications for Hong Kong path to UK citizenship show no signs of slowing, British figures show

There were 9,800 applications for British National (Overseas) visa scheme in second quarter of year

Figure in line with trend over past year, where applications have hovered around 10,000 in every quarter, despite problems finding full-time work in UK

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Applications for British National (Overseas) visas by Hongkongers show no sign of slowing. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:12pm, 24 Aug 2023Updated: 9:52pm, 24 Aug 2023

Hong Kong migration to the United Kingdom has shown no signs of lessening after almost 10,000 applications for the route to British citizenship were made in the second quarter of the year.

The Home Office on Thursday said 9,800 applications were received for the British National (Overseas) visa scheme between April and June, which continued a trend over the past year where the figure hovered around the 10,000 mark every quarter.

The Home Office quarterly update added that 10,300 Hong Kong migrants had arrived in Britain on the visa route in the April-June period.

A total of 123,800 Hongkongers have arrived in the UK since the visa programme started in January 2021. Another 28,758 BN(O) visas were approved for Hongkongers already in Britain, which took the total to 152,558.

There were 9,800 applications to the British National (Overseas) visa scheme between April and June, British figures show. Photo: Bloomberg

There have been 182,600 Hong Kong applications for the visa scheme from its launch in January 2021 to June, with 176,407 – 97 per cent – approved.

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