The BN(O) visa is an immigration route designed for Hong Kong residents holding British National (Overseas) status, along with their eligible family members, allowing them to live, work, and study in the UK. It's often referred to as the "BN(O) 5+1" visa: holders can apply for an initial grant of either 2 years and 6 months or 5 years, and after 5 continuous years of UK residence, they can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) — with British citizenship becoming available a further year after that (hence the "+1"). The visa can be extended as many times as needed, so someone starting with a 2.5-year grant can extend for another 2.5 years to reach the 5-year point required for settlement.
Who Can Apply
The BN(O) visa is open to BN(O) status holders themselves, as well as their partners, children, and — under the expanded 2026 Adult Child route — eligible adult children. This 2026 update broadened the pool of adult children who can apply independently and bring their own families with them. Eligibility runs through three distinct pathways, each with its own evidence requirements.
BN(O) status holders. Anyone who holds British National (Overseas) status through their connection to Hong Kong before the 1997 handover can apply as the main applicant, provided they ordinarily live in Hong Kong, the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man. A current BN(O) passport isn't required — since BN(O) status is held for life, applicants simply need to evidence that status, for example through an expired BN(O) passport or confirmation from HM Passport Office, in line with Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas) of the Immigration Rules.
Family members of BN(O) status holders. Family members can apply alongside the main applicant or at a later date, as long as the main BN(O) status holder is either resident in the UK or applying to come here. Eligible family members include a partner (spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner in a relationship of at least 2 years), children under 18, and in some cases, adult dependent relatives and adult children who remain part of the same household. Every dependant must submit their own application, link it to the main applicant, and independently satisfy the suitability and validity requirements.
BN(O) Adult Child route. Since February 2026, adult children of BN(O) status holders who were under 18 on 1 July 1997 can apply in their own right, without needing to be included on a parent's application. Previously, this option was limited to a narrower "Household Member" category requiring continued dependency on a BN(O) parent. Migratia notes that the updated rules now allow a broader group of adult children to relocate to the UK — even where they're no longer financially dependent — and to bring their own partner and children as part of their application.
Eligibility Requirements
Beyond falling into one of the categories above, applicants must also meet residence and financial requirements, pass suitability checks, and submit a valid application with the right supporting evidence. Notably, there's no English language requirement at the initial application or extension stage — this only applies later, at the ILR stage, where CEFR level B1 (or an exempting qualification) and the Life in the UK Test become mandatory.
Relationship requirement. Applicants must be either a BN(O) status holder or fall within one of the eligible family categories:
- A partner (spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner with at least 2 years of cohabitation)
- A child under 18 at the date of application (or born in the UK to a parent on this route)
- An adult child who was under 18 on 1 July 1997
- In more limited cases, an adult dependent relative living in the same household
The relationship must be genuine and ongoing, and must generally have existed before the main applicant was granted BN(O) permission — the exception being a parent-child relationship arising from a birth in the UK.
Residence requirement. The main applicant must ordinarily live in Hong Kong, the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man at the time of application. Dependants applying from outside the UK must ordinarily reside in the same territories, though a dependant born in the UK can be added to the application. Anyone applying from within the UK must not be in breach of immigration laws.
Financial requirement. Applicants applying from outside the UK — or from inside the UK with less than 12 months' residence — must show they can support themselves and their family for at least 6 months without relying on public funds. Acceptable funding sources include savings, employment or self-employment income, rental or other unearned income, and credible financial support from family or friends.
As a general guide (excluding housing costs), applicants might expect to show around £2,000 for a single adult, £3,100 for a couple with one child, and roughly £4,600 for a couple with three children — though the exact figure depends on household size and housing costs. This requirement generally doesn't apply to applicants and dependants who have already lived continuously in the UK for 12 months or more.
Tuberculosis (TB) requirement. Applicants coming from a country on the Home Office's TB-testing list — which includes Hong Kong — and who have lived there for 6 months or more immediately before applying, may need to provide a valid TB certificate. This typically isn't required for those who have spent the preceding 6 months in the UK, children under 11, or those transiting through a listed country for under 6 months.
Suitability requirements. All applicants must meet the general suitability criteria, meaning they must not:
- Have unspent criminal convictions
- Have previously breached UK immigration laws
- Pose a risk to national security, public order, or the public good
Applications will also be refused where false statements are made or material facts are withheld.
Validity requirements. A valid application requires applying online using the correct BN(O) form on GOV.UK, paying the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), providing biometric information (fingerprints and photograph), and submitting proof of identity and BN(O) status.
Required Documents
Migratia typically advises applicants to prepare the following supporting evidence, noting that additional documents may be needed for adult children applying under the BN(O) Adult Child route, and that alternative evidence can sometimes be accepted where a specific document isn't available:
- An identity document — ideally a BN(O) or HKSAR passport — and proof of BN(O) status (e.g., an expired BN(O) passport or confirmation from HM Passport Office)
- Proof of residence in Hong Kong, the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man (such as a tenancy agreement, utility bills, HKID card, or employer letter)
- Evidence of sufficient funds to maintain and house the household for at least 6 months
- Bank or savings statements covering the funds being relied upon
- Payslips, an employer letter, or evidence of self-employment income, where relevant
- Evidence of UK accommodation, such as a tenancy or mortgage agreement, or a letter from family or friends confirming they can provide accommodation
- Evidence of the family relationship for each dependant
- A marriage or civil partnership certificate, or proof of at least 2 years' cohabitation for unmarried partners
- Full birth certificates for children, showing both parents' names
- For adult children applying under this route, additional evidence of the parent's BN(O) status and the family relationship (for example, household registration documents or immigration records confirming the applicant was under 18 on 1 July 1997)
- A TB certificate, where required
How to Apply
The application process generally involves:
- Submitting the application online
- Paying the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge
- Providing identity documents and supporting evidence
- Verifying identity, either through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by attending a visa application centre for biometrics
Where family members are applying together, each person submits their own dependant application. In practice, Migratia advises that the BN(O) status holder usually applies first to obtain an application reference number (a GWF or Unique Application Number), which family members then use to link their applications — or, alternatively, the main applicant can generate a family linking code at the start of their application for dependants to use when submitting theirs.
Extending or Renewing the Visa
A BN(O) visa can be extended as many times as necessary, provided the applicant continues to meet the eligibility requirements and the main applicant still holds — or is applying for — valid BN(O) permission. Extension applications are made from within the UK, with biometrics provided where requested, along with the extension fee and IHS.
Standard Home Office processing is around 8 weeks for in-country decisions, with priority services available for an additional fee. Time spent on a previous grant continues to count towards the 5-year qualifying period for ILR, so extending doesn't reset the residence clock.
Children under 18 can only extend their BN(O) visa where:
- At least one parent holds, or is being granted, BN(O) permission at the same time (unless that parent is a British citizen or already settled in the UK)
- The child continues living with that parent, except where away at boarding school, college, or university
- The child isn't leading an independent life or in a marriage or civil partnership
The suitability and validity requirements under Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas) also apply.
Partners, adult children, and adult dependent relatives who were last granted permission as a dependant on the BN(O) route can extend in line, provided they continue to meet suitability and validity requirements. They generally don't need to re-establish the relationship accepted in their first application, though the Home Office may request further evidence if there's reason to question whether the relationship remains genuine.
A partner whose relationship has since ended — through divorce, dissolution, or bereavement — may still be able to extend their visa if they meet the BN(O) requirements independently, for example as the parent of a qualifying child.
Route to ILR
BN(O) visa holders can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years of continuous UK residence, with applications possible up to 28 days before the 5-year point is reached. It's worth noting that absences of more than 180 days within any rolling 12-month period during this timeframe will normally break continuous residence. Time spent on another settlement-leading route — such as Skilled Worker or Representative of an Overseas Business — can also count towards the 5 years, provided the most recent grant of permission was under the BN(O) route.
Key requirements for a BN(O) ILR application include:
- 5 years' continuous UK residence on a qualifying route, with the most recent grant under the BN(O) route
- No more than 180 days' absence from the UK within any rolling 12-month period during that time
- Meeting the general suitability requirements
- Meeting the English language requirement at CEFR level B1 or above, unless exempt
- Passing the Life in the UK Test, unless exempt
- Paying the ILR application fee and providing biometric information
Family members applying for ILR must still qualify as dependants at the time of that application — for instance, a partner's relationship must remain genuine and ongoing. Each dependant must independently meet the 5-year residence requirement, which means someone who joined the main applicant partway through the qualifying period may become eligible for ILR later than the main applicant. Children under 18 at the date of the ILR application are exempt from the English language and Life in the UK Test requirements.