The UK Government has created a new visa to allow British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders, ordinarily resident in Hong Kong and the UK, and their immediate family members to settle in the UK to live, work and study.

BN(O) visa holders will be able to apply for settlement after five years if they meet the requirements. One year after applying for settlement, BN(O) visa holders will be able to apply for citizenship.

There are some circumstances when you will be asked to prove your BN(O) status – for example when registering with a doctor, starting a new job, or opening a bank account.

For queries regarding your visa, contact the UK Visa and Immigration contact centre on 0300 790 6268. More general information about the BN(O) visa can be found here. This resource includes information on applying from both within and outwith the UK, along with a list of documents that you will need to fill out when applying.  

If you have any more questions, please contact us at hongkongBNO@cosla.gov.uk and we will do our best to help you.

FAQs:

I applied for my BN(O) visa more than 12 weeks ago – what is the reason for the delay and is there anything I can do to speed up the process?

We are aware that in some cases, it is taking longer than 12 weeks for Hongkongers to hear back about their BN(O) visa application. Below are a few options for chasing up the status of your visa application:

1. Use the UKVI contact centre
   Telephone: 0300 790 6268 – select option 2, then option 1 Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:45pm Friday, 9am to 4:30pm. You can find more information on this here: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk/y/inside-the-uk/something-else
2. You can make a formal complaint to the UK Visas and Immigration about the length of time it takes for your application to be processed. This is an online form via this link: Complaints procedure – UK Visas and Immigration – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Explain that your application has exceeded service standards, that you were not explained why it will not be decided within the normal timescale, and that the delay causes a lot of stress and anxiety for you and your family. The complaint will not affect whether your application is accepted.
3. You can contact your local Member of Parliament (MP) via this link Find your MP – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament and ask them to contact the Home Office on your behalf to explain the delay. When writing to your MP, you should include your address in the email, as MPs can only support individuals living in their constituencies. There’s more information on contacting your MP here: https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/

For further queries regarding your visa application, you can email the Scottish Welcome Hub at hongkongBNO@cosla.gov.uk.