British National (Overseas) passport

Ahead of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in 1997, Britain granted the city’s residents born before the handover British National (Overseas) passports that allowed them to stay in the country for up to six months. In July 2020, the British government offered Hongkongers with BN(O) status and their dependants a pathway to citizenship, in response to Beijing's imposition of the national security law. From January 31, 2021, they can apply for a visa to work or live in Britain for five years, before they are eligible to apply for citizenship.