Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a British national (overseas) citizen who is ordinarily resident in Hong Kong but is in the UK for a permitted six-month, visa-free stay would be allowed to remain in the UK for the duration of their application process for a new Hong Kong BN(O) Visa, even if this exceeded the initial six-month period.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
BN(O) citizens whose current grant of leave in the UK is due to expire before the new Hong Kong BN(O) Visa is launched, should look to extend their leave in line with the rules of their existing route and then apply for the Hong Kong BN(O) Visa when it is available. Those who apply to the scheme before their leave expires will be able to remain in the UK whilst their application is considered.
We are considering options for those individuals whose leave is due to expire and who are unable to extend their leave before the new route is launched. We will set out further details in due course.