50,000 Hong Kong Residents Apply for UK Immigration Within Two Weeks of Opening

UK to Allow Citizenship for Up to 5.4 Million Hong Kong Residents
Expected 1 Million Hong Kong Residents to Migrate Over 5 Years

The appearance of a BNO passport [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] It has been revealed that over 5,000 people applied within two weeks after the UK government eased immigration application eligibility for Hong Kong residents. The UK government expects more than 150,000 Hong Kong residents to apply for British citizenship by the end of the year.

According to The Times on the 18th (local time), the UK government amended immigration laws last month to relax citizenship acquisition conditions for Hong Kong residents. The revised immigration law allows all Hong Kong residents who currently hold or previously held a British National Overseas (BNO) passport to apply for citizenship.

With the revised immigration law, in addition to the 2.5 million eligible Hong Kong residents, including dependents, a total of 5.4 million people will have the opportunity to obtain British citizenship. This accounts for 72% of Hong Kong's total population of 7.5 million.

Once the application is approved, applicants will first be issued a visa allowing residence and work for five years. Afterward, they will be granted settled status and can apply for citizenship one year later.

Previously, the UK government established a separate immigration exception called 'Leave Outside the Rules' (LOTR) to allow Hong Kong residents to temporarily reside in the UK before obtaining a visa.

A UK government official stated, "About half of the BNO visa applicants received so far are residing in the UK under the LOTR provision."

From July last year to January this year, 7,000 Hong Kong residents have been recorded to have migrated to the UK using LOTR.

Meanwhile, the UK government announced last June 30, following the enforcement of the Hong Kong National Security Law, that it would significantly expand immigration channels to protect Hong Kong residents, citing violations of the UK-China Joint Declaration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.