Visas: British National (Overseas)
(asked on 23rd June 2025) - View Source
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of simplifying the registration process for British National (Overseas) visa holders to register as British citizens.
Answered by
Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Children who came to the UK with parents who are British National (Overseas) visa holders may apply for settlement after 5 years’ qualifying residence, followed by citizenship after a further twelve months.
Children born in the UK to a BN(O) visa holder will be able to apply for British citizenship immediately once the parent becomes settled in the UK. Children born in the UK to BN(O)s who have already become settled will become British citizens automatically.
BN(O)s also have an entitlement to register as British citizens if they meet the requirements. This is a simpler process for becoming a citizen than naturalisation.