Thousands of Hongkongers who resettled in the United Kingdom under the British National (Overseas) visa scheme are expressing growing frustration and anxiety over proposed immigration reforms that could delay their path to permanent residency and citizenship.
More than 180,000 Hongkongers have relocated to the UK through the BNO visa route since it opened in 2021. The program, introduced after China imposed a sweeping National Security Law in Hong Kong, offered eligible residents and their families the right to live, work, and study in Britain, with a promise of permanent settlement after five years and full citizenship one year later.
However, under new government proposals aimed at tightening immigration rules, most migrants — including BNO visa holders — would need to wait ten years before qualifying for permanent settlement, extending citizenship eligibility to eleven years.
Fears of a Broken Promise
For many Hongkongers, this potential shift feels like a betrayal of trust.
Alpha Wong, a 33-year-old software engineer who moved to Sutton, London, with his mother and sister, said he believed the UK would honor its initial commitment. “We thought that the UK would open up to us,” Wong said. “We trusted that the lifeboat would be stable.”
His sentiment is shared by others in the community. Matthew, another Hongkonger who arrived in 2021, said he and his wife had chosen the UK over Australia and Canada because they viewed its immigration system as more transparent. “If they can change it from five to ten years, they can change anything,” he warned.
Practical and Financial Impact
The proposed delay has created not only emotional distress but also serious practical concerns. One major issue involves access to Hong Kong’s Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) — a pension savings scheme that only releases funds to citizens who can prove permanent settlement abroad.
According to Hong Kong Watch, an advocacy group, MPF providers are currently withholding more than £3 billion in savings belonging to BNO visa holders now residing in the UK. “They can’t claim their Hong Kong contributory pension until they can prove that they’re permanently settled somewhere,” said Heather Rolfe, senior research fellow at the think tank British Future.
The delay in achieving “indefinite leave to remain” could also have financial implications for families, such as forcing them to pay higher international tuition fees for their children at UK universities.
Community Discontent in Sutton
In Sutton, home to one of the largest Hongkonger communities in the UK — estimated at around 5,000 people — frustration is rising.
Richard Choi, a Liberal Democrat councillor who moved from Hong Kong in 2008, said the government’s change of direction has angered many residents. “People signed up because of the promise,” he said. “Now, in the middle of the process, the government is talking about changing the rules. Hongkongers are very angry about that.”
Legal and Political Debate
Legal experts argue that applying the new rules to existing visa holders would be unfair. Immigration barrister Colin Yeo said, “They made a decision to move here on that basis — to give up their homes and their jobs — only to find that the rules may change. It’s just not fair.”
The Home Office has stated that the proposed changes will undergo public consultation and discussions with representatives of the Hongkonger community. “Settlement is a privilege, not a right,” the department said in a statement, emphasizing that details of the reform will be released later this year.
A Lifeboat in Question
The BNO visa scheme was launched by the UK government under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a “lifeboat” for Hongkongers seeking refuge from political repression. It is open to about 2.9 million people eligible for BNO passports and their dependents.
Now, many who viewed the scheme as a lifeline feel stranded. Wong summed up the disillusionment felt by many: “They said it was a lifelong commitment. I didn’t think the government would get away with changing it.”
For Hongkongers who left behind their homes, careers, and savings in the hope of rebuilding their lives in Britain, the uncertainty surrounding the visa scheme’s future has shaken the very trust that drew them there in the first place.
