Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders exempt from UK’s proposed 10-year settlement wait

Hongkongers moving to the United Kingdom under the British National (Overseas) visa scheme will be exempt from plans to double the qualifying period for settlement to 10 years, according to an official announcement on Monday.

But they will still face stricter English-language and criminality requirements, alongside existing conditions such as completing five years of continuous residence and passing the Life in the UK test.

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Monday outlined plans to overhaul immigration rules, under which migrants would no longer gain the right to live permanently in the UK almost automatically after five years.