All applicants will need to prove the following to be eligible for either a 2.5 years or 5 years visa allowing them to live and work or be self employed in the Uk after 5 years they will be entitled to Indefinite leave to remain and then eventually be able to apply for Full British Citizenship.
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Hong Kong BN(O) Visa applications are being planned to open from January 2021. BN(O) citizens do not need to hold a BN(O) passport in order to apply for the visa – so there is no need for them to apply for, or renew, a BN(O) passport specifically for this purpose. All BN(O) citizens will need a visa to be able to settle in the UK.
Eligibility
• BN(O) status – a BN(O) passport is normally best but not required as Border Force Officers will be able to access the majority of historical records, although holding current or former BN(O) passports may make the process quicker;
• That they are ordinarily resident in Hong Kong;
• Evidence of dependants’ family links to the main applicant; Hong Kong British National (Overseas) Visa
• The ability to accommodate and support themselves for their initial period in the UK; and
• That they have no serious criminal convictions, have not otherwise engaged in behaviour which the UK Government deems not conducive to the public good, or be subject to other general grounds for refusal set out in the Immigration Rules.
BN(0) Process
1 planning to come BN(O) citizens and their dependants will want to ensure they have the necessary documentation to support their application for a Hong Kong BN(O) Visa including, for example, proof of residence in Hong Kong, evidence of their ability to maintain themselves in the UK (e.g. bank statements) and undertaking a tuberculosis test.
2 The application process Most BN(O) citizens will complete their application entirely online. Non-BN(O) visa and non-visa national dependants will be required to give fingerprint biometrics. BN(O) citizens and their dependants who meet the criteria will be granted a Hong Kong BN(O) Visa.
3 Living in the UK BN(O) citizens and their family dependants in the UK with leave under the Hong Kong BN(O) Visa will need to be self-sufficient and commit to learning English where appropriate and integrating in the UK.
4 Application for settled status/citizenship BN(O) citizens and their family dependants will be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK after five years’ residence in the UK, subject to immigration rules. At this point, BN(O) citizens and family dependents will be required to have proof of knowledge of the English language.
After a further 12 months of leave in the UK, BN(O) citizens and their family dependants will be eligible to apply for British citizenship
