UK visas for Hong Kong residents

Hong Kong is unusual in the UK system because of the BN(O) route, which since 2021 has given British National (Overseas) status holders and their families a five-year path to settlement based on status rather than a job or a course. This page is the entry point for Hong Kong residents generally: who can use the BN(O) route, what the alternatives are for people who cannot, and the handful of rules that turn on holding a Hong Kong passport. It does not apply to holders of People’s Republic of China passports, who should read the China page.

Visiting the UK

HKSAR passport holders do not need a visitor visa, but they do need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before travelling: £20, applied for online or through the UKVI app, valid for multiple visits over two years or until the passport expires, with each visit up to six months and no work. BN(O) passport holders do not need either a visitor visa or an ETA for a short visit. No transit visa is needed for changing planes in the UK.

The BN(O) route

If you hold BN(O) status — registered as a British National (Overseas) before 1 July 1997 — the BN(O) route is normally the route to consider first. It does not require a sponsor, a job offer, a course, a minimum salary or English at the application stage; you show status, ordinary residence in Hong Kong, and funds to support yourself for six months. Partners, children and in some cases adult dependent relatives can apply with you, and household members born after 1997 who are over 18 can apply independently. Five years’ residence leads to ILR and, after a further year, to British citizenship.

You do not need a valid BN(O) passport, only proof of the status. BN(O) status itself could only be acquired through registration before the handover; you cannot acquire it now. The immigration route is broader than the status: under the current rules, an adult child aged 18 or over and born on or after 1 July 1979 may also qualify through a parent who holds, or held, BN(O) status, and in some cases can apply separately from the parent.

If you do not hold BN(O) status

Hong Kong residents without BN(O) status use the same routes as other nationalities.

Youth Mobility. Hong Kong is a Youth Mobility Scheme country. HKSAR passport holders aged 18 to 30 enter a ballot for places; BN(O) status holders in the same age range are eligible in their own category and do not need the Hong Kong ballot. Successful applicants get two years in the UK to work or study without a sponsor. The time does not count towards settlement, and many people switch to Skilled Worker from inside the UK.

Study. The Student visa and Graduate visa apply on the same terms as for everyone else, including the 2024 restriction on dependants and the shorter Graduate grant from 2027.

Work. Skilled Worker and Global Talent are the main routes; employees of Hong Kong companies with UK subsidiaries often use Global Business Mobility, which does not lead to settlement.

Hong Kong-specific requirements

TB test. Hong Kong is on the UK’s tuberculosis testing list. If you are applying for a visa lasting more than six months — including the BN(O) route — you will normally need a TB certificate from a Home Office-approved clinic if the residence-history conditions apply: six months or more in Hong Kong or another listed place within the last six months. The certificate is valid for six months.

English. Hong Kong is not on the list of majority-English-speaking countries, so routes that require English must be evidenced: an approved Secure English Language Test, or a degree taught in English confirmed by Ecctis, which graduates of Hong Kong’s English-medium universities can often use. The BN(O) route does not test English at the application stage but requires B1 at settlement — and BN(O) settlement is not among the routes moving to B2 in 2027. See the English requirements guide.

Applying from Hong Kong. Applications are submitted online and completed at a visa application centre or, for many applicants, through the UKVI app. For an extra fee, a priority or super priority decision may be on offer, depending on the route and on capacity at the time you apply. A successful application results in an eVisa, tied to your UKVI account. Since 1 July 2026 there is no vignette in the passport; a form for accompanying an eVisa (FAV) may be issued for travel where one is needed.

Routes to settlement and citizenship

The BN(O) route leads to ILR after five years and citizenship after a further year. Skilled Worker, Global Talent and the partner route lead to ILR under current rules; Youth Mobility, Student, Graduate and Global Business Mobility time counts only towards the ten-year Long Residence route.

At the citizenship stage, Hong Kong residents of Chinese descent who were born in Chinese territories, including Hong Kong, are generally treated as Chinese nationals under the Nationality Law as applied in the HKSAR. Holding or acquiring a foreign passport does not by itself change that status in Hong Kong; a person who wants to be treated as a foreign national must apply to the Hong Kong Immigration Department for a change of nationality. The consequences for travel documents and consular protection are a matter of Chinese law, so check the position before naturalising. ILR has no effect on nationality. See the ILR vs citizenship comparison.

Common questions

Do I need a visa to visit the UK on an HKSAR passport? No, but an ETA is required before travelling. BN(O) passport holders need neither.

I was born after 1997. Can I use the BN(O) route? Not on your own status, but an adult child born on or after 1 July 1979 may qualify through a parent’s BN(O) status; check the BN(O) guide.

Do I need a TB test for the BN(O) visa? Normally yes, if you have lived in Hong Kong for six months or more in the last six months.

Does the BN(O) visa need an English test? Not at the application stage. B1 is required at settlement.

Is Hong Kong a Youth Mobility country? Yes, with a ballot for places.