Home / Sources / Select Committees / Home Affairs Committee / The UK’s offer of visa and settlement r…
Index live · Last sync 22 May 2026
Select Committee · Home Affairs Committee

The UK’s offer of visa and settlement routes for residents of Hong Kong

Status: Closed Opened: 4 Jan 2021 Closed: 1 Feb 2024 11 recommendations 11 conclusions 1 report

The Committee took evidence in January 2021 on visa and settlement routes for the residents of Hong Kong.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The UK’s offer of visa and settlement route… HC 191 7 Jul 2021 22 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
1 Conclusion Second Report - The UK’s offer of visa … Acknowledged

British National (Overseas) visa route substantially honours historic commitment to Hong Kongers' freedoms

In the 1985 Sino-British joint declaration the UK made a historic commitment to protect the freedom of the people of Hong Kong. Given the grave concerns of Governments, NGOs and human rights experts about the impact of the new security law on Hong Kongers’ freedoms we welcome the Government’s decision …

Government response. The government acknowledged understanding the committee's concerns regarding the eligibility and accessibility of the BN(O) route for younger individuals or those whose parents do not wish to apply, but committed to no specific action.
Home Office
2 Recommendation Second Report - The UK’s offer of visa … Acknowledged

Extend the British National (Overseas) scheme for young people with eligible parents to apply separately

We have heard that young people are among the most targeted citizens in Hong Kong owing to their increased participation in pro-democracy protests. They are also among the most vulnerable, particularly if they are estranged from their families because of their political opinions and/or have limited financial means which restrict …

Government response. The government states it understands the Committee's concerns regarding eligibility and accessibility for the BN(O) route for young people who were too young to obtain status or whose parents do not wish to apply.
Home Office
22 Conclusion Second Report - The UK’s offer of visa …

Hong Kong visa and settlement scheme requires improvement to provide genuine protection.

Amending the scheme, and making the associated changes we have recommended in this report will enable the Government to improve the scheme further and help to ensure that it provides the genuine protection and assistance the Government set out to provide. (Paragraph 125) 38 The UK’s offer of visa and …

Government response. The Government welcomes the Committee’s report on the UK’s offer of visa and settlement routes for residents of Hong Kong. We are grateful for the acknowledgement of the work done so far to create a bespoke immigration route for those …
Home Office

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
6 Jan 2021 Session View ↗

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Immigration on the Hong Kong British National (Ove…
28 Apr 2021 From cttee Letter to the Minister for Future Borders and Immigration on the the new Hong K…
28 Apr 2021 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Future Borders and Immigration on the new Hong Kon…