The UK government has announced an expansion of its immigration pathway for people from Hong Kong, opening the door to thousands more migrants. Under the new rules, adult children of British National (Overseas) status holders and their families will be able to apply to move to the UK independently.
The decision comes against the backdrop of continued restrictions on rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and follows the sentencing of British citizen and pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison under Beijing’s National Security Law.
Under the expanded scheme, adult children of BN(O) status holders who were under the age of 18 at the time of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China will now qualify to apply on their own, without relying on their parents’ applications. Their spouses and children will also be eligible, with the government estimating that around 26,000 people could relocate to the UK over the next five years.
A statement published on the UK government’s website on Monday said the move reflects Britain’s long-standing commitment to the people of Hong Kong, particularly as conditions in the territory continue to worsen.
Officials pointed to Jimmy Lai’s sentencing as a clear sign of increasing repression. “The Prime Minister raised Mr Lai’s case directly with President Xi during his visit, opening up discussion of the UK’s most acute concerns directly with the Chinese government, at the highest levels. Now that the sentencing has happened, the government will rapidly engage further on Mr Lai’s case,” the statement said.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood reaffirmed the UK’s position, saying: “This country will always honour its historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong. We are proud to have already provided a safe haven to almost 170,000 Hong Kongers since 2021.
“In the face of the continued deterioration of rights and freedoms, we are now expanding eligibility so more families can build new lives here. While we must restore order and control to our borders, the British people will always welcome those in genuine need of sanctuary.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also stressed the government’s ongoing support: “Though Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms continue to erode, this government’s support for its people remains steadfast, and that’s why we are ensuring that young people who missed out on resettlement protection because of their age will now be covered.”
Since the BN(O) visa route was introduced, more than 230,000 visas have been issued, with nearly 170,000 people already settling in the UK. Officials said the latest expansion addresses gaps in the system that previously resulted in “unfair outcomes within families, with some children able to resettle and others not.”
The announcement is part of wider reforms to the UK’s asylum and immigration system, aimed at creating additional humanitarian pathways for those escaping conflict and persecution. These capped routes are intended to provide safe, legal alternatives to dangerous small boat crossings and will be rolled out once border controls are strengthened.
The government also highlighted related initiatives, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme for another year, offering protection to 310,000 Ukrainians and their families, and the resettlement of more than 37,000 Afghans since 2021 over 12,000 of whom assisted British forces during operations in Afghanistan.
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