Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of using electronic travel authorisations on the speed in which Hong Kong (a) BNO status holders and (b) political prisoners can leave Hong Kong.

Electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) were expanded to all eligible non-European nationalities on 27 November, and will be a requirement for travel to the UK from 8 January. ETAs have been introduced to strengthen the UK’s border security and help prevent the arrival of those who present a threat to the UK.

The application is quick and light-touch, and many applications are decided within minutes. Individuals who already have a UK immigration status, including a British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) visa, will not need to obtain an ETA to travel to the UK.