British National (Overseas)
British National (Overseas), abbreviated BN(O), is a class of British nationality that was granted by voluntary registration to Hong Kong residents who had been British Dependent Territories citizens (BDTCs) before the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997. Individuals with this nationality are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British citizens. Nationals of this class are subject to immigration controls when entering the United Kingdom and do not have the automatic right of abode there or in Hong Kong, but all BN(O)s would have had permanent resident status in Hong Kong when they acquired this status. BN(O) status was granted for a 10-year period before the territory's transfer as a transitional arrangement for colonial subjects and cannot be newly acquired by current residents.
British citizenship and nationality law |
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Introduction |
Nationality classes |
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See also |
Relevant legislation |
British National (Overseas) | |||||||||||||
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Traditional Chinese | 英國國民(海外) | ||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 英国国民(海外) | ||||||||||||
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This nationality gives its holders favoured status when they are resident in the United Kingdom, conferring eligibility to vote, obtain citizenship under a simplified process, and serve in public office or non-reserved government positions. There are an estimated 2.9 million BN(O)s; about 469,000 of them hold active British passports with this status and enjoy consular protection when travelling abroad. However, since most BN(O)s also hold Chinese nationality and because China treats its dual nationals as if they were only Chinese, they cannot access this protection within Hong Kong, mainland China, or Macau. In response to the imposition of controversial Chinese national security legislation in Hong Kong, Britain has allowed BN(O)s and immediate family members to apply for five-year residence visas since 31 January 2021. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments no longer recognise BN(O) passports as valid travel documents from that date.
Background
Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 until its transfer to China in 1997.[1] The territory initially consisted only of Hong Kong Island and was expanded to include Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island in 1860. All of these areas were ceded in perpetuity to the United Kingdom by the Qing dynasty after the Opium Wars.[2] Britain negotiated a further expansion of the colony to include the New Territories in 1898, which were leased (rather than ceded) from Qing China for a period of 99 years.[3]
As the end of the lease drew closer, Hong Kong's future was uncertain.[4] Because most of the territory's industry was developed in the New Territories, separating the leased area and returning only that part of the colony to China was economically and logistically impossible.[5] The colonial government could not grant new land leases in the New Territories past 1997, causing concern among local businesses over the long-term viability of further real estate investment.[4] By the time negotiations began over the future of the colony in the early 1980s, China had since become communist.[6] Local residents were apprehensive about the prospect of being handed over to Chinese rule and overwhelmingly preferred that Hong Kong remain a British territory. The British government attempted to negotiate an extension of its administration of Hong Kong past 1997, but pivoted towards ensuring the city's stability when it became clear that the Chinese authorities would not allow this.[7]
The two governments agreed on the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984. The entire territory of Hong Kong would be transferred to the People's Republic of China at the conclusion of the New Territories lease in 1997 and governed under Chinese sovereignty as a special administrative region. The region would be given a high level of autonomy in local affairs and residents were to retain civil liberties such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion after the transfer.[8]
Nationality arrangements for residents
Before 1983, all citizens of the British Empire, including Hongkongers, held a common nationality.[9] Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKCs) had the unrestricted right to enter and live in the UK,[10] although non-white immigration was systemically discouraged.[11] Immigration from the colonies and other Commonwealth countries was gradually restricted by Parliament from 1962 to 1971 amid decolonisation, when British subjects originating from outside of the British Islands first had immigration controls imposed on them when entering the UK.[12] After passage of the British Nationality Act 1981, CUKCs were reclassified into different nationality groups based on their ancestry and birthplace,[13] and the vast majority of British subjects in Hong Kong became British Dependent Territories citizens (BDTCs) with the right of abode only in Hong Kong.[14] Only those reclassified as British citizens held an automatic right to live in the United Kingdom.[13] The British government issued a memorandum attached to the Joint Declaration that concerned transitional arrangements for the nationality of residents, which included a stipulation that a new nationality would be created for Hongkongers that did not confer the right of abode in the United Kingdom.[15] The British National (Overseas) status was created in 1985 to fulfill this requirement.[16]
Debate over full citizenship rights
The deprivation of full passports and nationality rights for Hongkongers, and its reinforcement as part of the Joint Declaration, drew criticism for effectively making ethnicity the deciding factor in determining what rights British subjects were entitled to.[17][18][19] Hong Kong residents and Legislative Council members, with some supporters in the British Parliament,[17] believed that granting full British citizenship would have been more appropriate for instilling confidence in Hong Kong's post-handover future[20] and that residents should have been offered a choice to continue living under British rule. Proponents argued that giving Hongkongers the right of abode as an "insurance policy" to protect against a potential curbing of civil freedoms by communist authorities after the handover would encourage them to stay in the territory and would prevent a mounting brain drain.[21][22] BDTCs in Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands were already given access to citizenship, and it was noted that asking for the same to be granted to Hong Kong residents was only requesting equal treatment.[23][24] Legislative Councillors and their supporters in Parliament unfavourably compared these nationality arrangements to the situation in Macau, where residents were allowed to retain Portuguese citizenship and right of abode after that territory's transfer to China in 1999.[20][22]
A considerable number of residents began emigrating to other countries in the 1980s. While the number of annual departures remained steady for most of the decade and only started to increase towards its end,[25] the outflow grew dramatically following the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.[26] The brutality of the Chinese government's response against demonstrations for democracy immediately dimmed local optimism in Hong Kong's future, indicated by a sudden drop in stock market and property values.[27] The crackdown caused a rush among residents to seek permanent residency or citizenship in other countries.[26] Residents feared an erosion of civil rights, the rule of law, and quality of life after the transition to Chinese rule,[28] suspicions that were only exacerbated by the Tiananmen incident.[29] Over a half million people left Hong Kong during the peak migration period from 1987 to 1996.[25] Scepticism in the Chinese government's commitment to Hong Kong's future autonomy was further reflected by high demand for BDTC naturalisation. Even though BDTC status would expire after the handover in 1997 and carried no entitlement to UK right of abode, over 54,000 people applied for it on the final registration date in 1996[30] because the status qualified them to register as BN(O)s.[31]
Despite petitions from Governors David Wilson and Chris Patten asking for full citizenship to be conferred on the colony's residents,[32][33] Parliament ultimately refused to grant all Hongkongers right of abode in the United Kingdom, citing difficulty in absorbing a large number of new citizens and that doing so would contradict the Joint Declaration.[20] Instead, it offered citizenship to only 50,000 qualified residents and their dependents, through the British Nationality Selection Scheme.[34] Because many departing residents were well-educated and held critical positions in medicine, finance, and engineering, the intention of the plan was to convince people within this professional core of Hong Kong's economy to remain in the territory after 1997.[29] This limited grant of citizenship, along with the fact that the provision for nationality without UK right of abode was included in a memorandum of the Joint Declaration and not in the treaty text, has been used by proponents of conferring citizenship on BN(O)s to argue that granting it would not be a violation of that agreement.[35] On the other hand, the Chinese government considers even these restricted grants to be a breach of the treaty[36] and specifically disregards the British citizenship of those who obtained it under the Selection Scheme.[37]
Post-handover developments
Substantive debate on expanding BN(O) rights was restarted in 2020,[38] when the National People's Congress bypassed the Legislative Council and directly approved national security legislation for Hong Kong.[39] This was done despite an explicit stipulation in the Hong Kong Basic Law stating the territory's responsibility for enacting its own legislation in that area.[40] Pro-democracy Legislative Councillors and activists denounced the direct application of national law without local consultation as a fundamental upheaval to the regional legal system and labelled it as the end of "one country, two systems",[41] while the United Kingdom and its allies further condemned the legislation as a severe violation of the Joint Declaration that inherently undermines the autonomy promised to Hong Kong and the fundamental rights of its residents.[42][43] The Home Office initially announced that the existing six-month stay limit on BN(O)s would be extended to renewable periods of 12 months with the right to work.[44][45] When the national security law came into force, the British government declared a further extension of residence rights; BN(O)s would have leave to remain in the UK with rights to work and study for five years, after which they may apply for settled status. They would then be eligible for full citizenship after holding settled status for 12 months.[46] This was implemented as a residence visa that BN(O)s and their immediate family members have been able to apply for since 31 January 2021.[47] In anticipation of this change, the Chinese and Hong Kong governments withdrew their recognition of BN(O) passports as valid travel documents for immigration clearance.[48][49]
Acquisition and loss
Application deadlines for registration as a British National (Overseas)[50] | |
---|---|
Year of birth | Registration deadline |
1967 to 1971 | 30 October 1993 |
1962 to 1966 | 31 March 1994 |
1957 to 1961 | 31 August 1994 |
1947 to 1956 | 28 February 1995 |
Prior to 1947 | 30 June 1995 |
1972 to 1976 | 31 October 1995 |
1977 to 1981 | 30 March 1996 |
1982 to 1986 | 29 June 1996 |
1987 to 1991 | 30 September 1996 |
1992 to 1995 | 31 December 1996 |
1996 | 31 March 1997 |
1 January to 30 June 1997 | 30 September 1997 |
Becoming a British National (Overseas) is no longer possible. Acquisition was not an automatic process and eligible residents had to have applied for the status between 1 July 1987 and the end of the registration period.[31] Registration deadlines were assigned to applicants by their birth year.[50] The last date eligible applicants could register was on 31 December 1997, if they were born in that year and prior to the transfer of sovereignty.[51] BN(O) nationality cannot be transferred by descent, and the number of living status holders will eventually dwindle until there are none. The status was granted in addition to other British nationality classes; an individual can be both a British citizen and a British National (Overseas).[52][53]
Applicants were required to be British Dependent Territories citizens by a connection with Hong Kong.[31] While about 3.4 million people acquired the status,[54] 2.5 million non-BDTC residents (virtually all Chinese nationals) were ineligible.[55] Those ineligible who wished to register as BN(O)s were required to have been naturalised as Hong Kong-connected BDTCs by 31 March 1996. Acquiring Hong Kong BDTC status other than by birth was no longer possible after that date.[50]
Unlike other British nationalities, BN(O) holders are uniquely entitled to hold British passports in that status. Every BN(O) was directly issued British National (Overseas) passports when they first obtained the status, while members of all other nationality classes are first given certificates of registration and do not possess passports as a right.[52] All Hong Kong-connected British Dependent Territories citizens lost BDTC status on 1 July 1997.[53] Individuals who did not acquire Chinese nationality (this generally only applied to those not ethnically Chinese) and would have been stateless at that date automatically became British Overseas citizens.[51]
British National (Overseas) status can be relinquished by a declaration made to the Home Secretary, provided that an individual already possesses or intends to acquire another nationality. Prior to 1 July 1997, deprivation of this nationality was also tied to the loss of British Dependent Territories citizenship.[52] Individuals who successfully registered as British citizens under the British Nationality Selection Scheme automatically lost BDTC status, and consequently also lost BN(O) nationality if they had acquired it.[56] There is no path to restore BN(O) status once lost.[57]
Rights and privileges
British Nationals (Overseas) are exempted from obtaining a visa or entry certificate when visiting the United Kingdom for less than six months.[58] They are eligible for residence visas for themselves and their immediate family members, valid for either a period of 30 months (renewable once for a further 30 months) or five years. Those who arrived in the UK before this immigration route became available were granted "Leave Outside the Rules" at the discretion of the Border Force to remain in the country for up to six months as a temporary measure.[59] BN(O)s under the age of 30 are also eligible for two-year working holiday visas and do not face annual quotas or sponsorship requirements.[60]
When travelling in other countries, BN(O)s may seek British consular protection.[31] They are not considered foreign nationals when residing in the UK and are entitled to certain rights as Commonwealth citizens.[61] These include exemption from registration with local police,[62] voting eligibility in UK elections,[63] and the ability to enlist in the British Armed Forces.[64] British Nationals (Overseas) are also eligible to serve in non-reserved Civil Service posts,[65] be granted British honours, receive peerages, and sit in the House of Lords.[13] If given indefinite leave to remain (ILR), they are eligible to stand for election to the House of Commons[66] and local government.[67][68][69] There are about 2.9 million people who retain BN(O) nationality,[70] with 469,000 of them holding active British passports with the status.[71]
BN(O)s may become British citizens by registration, rather than naturalisation, after residing in the United Kingdom for more than five years and possessing ILR for more than one year.[72] Registration confers citizenship otherwise than by descent, meaning that children born outside of the UK to those successfully registered will be British citizens by descent. Becoming a British citizen has no effect on BN(O) status, although someone possessing a British citizen passport would be ineligible to apply for a new BN(O) passport. Instead, the British citizen passport will have an additional observation printed, stating the holder's right of abode in Hong Kong as well as British National (Overseas) status.[51]
Prior to 1997, BN(O)s in qualified occupational classes were eligible to register as British citizens without UK residence requirements under the British Nationality Selection Scheme at the discretion of the Governor of Hong Kong.[73] Additionally, BN(O)s who are not Chinese nationals and held no foreign nationality on 3 February 1997, who were ordinarily resident in Hong Kong on that date, and who continue to reside there are entitled to register as British citizens. Children born after that date who later became BN(O)s and fulfill the other requirements may also register for citizenship. Whether these applicants receive citizenship by descent or otherwise is dependent on how they obtained BDTC status.[74] Remaining BN(O)s who held no other citizenship or nationality on or before 19 March 2009 are entitled to register as British citizens[75][13] by descent. However, if a BN(O) acquires another citizenship or nationality and renounces it after either applicable date before applying to register as a British citizen, that person would not be eligible.[76]
Restrictions
Although BN(O)s may travel using a British passport, because the status does not entitle its holders to the right of abode in either the United Kingdom or Hong Kong, they may face restrictions when travelling to either place and are not treated identically to British citizens when entering other countries. The Joint Declaration allows continued use of foreign passports as travel documents post-handover,[77] but the Chinese and Hong Kong governments have not allowed BN(O) passports to be used for immigration clearance since 31 January 2021.[49][48] BN(O)s who are also Chinese nationals are subject to additional requirements when travelling to mainland China.[78]
United Kingdom
British Nationals (Overseas) are subject to immigration controls and have neither the right of abode nor an automatic right to work in the United Kingdom.[31] They are ineligible for the Registered Traveller service, which enables expedited clearance through British immigration, despite the eligibility of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders.[79] BN(O)s are required to pay an immigration health surcharge to access National Health Service benefits when applying for a visa to remain in the UK for longer than six months[80] and do not qualify for most welfare programmes.[81]
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong government has not allowed the use of BN(O) passports as travel documents to pass immigration clearance since 31 January 2021.[48]
While registration for BN(O) status was dependent on residency, it is possible for holders of this status to lose the right of abode in Hong Kong. Non-Chinese nationals who hold permanent residency or citizenship outside of Hong Kong and have not returned to the territory for more than three years at any time since the transfer of sovereignty automatically lose the right of abode.[82] However, these individuals acquire the right to land, which is identical to the right of abode except that these persons can be subject to a deportation order. BN(O)s subject to a deportation order would lose the right to land and would become effectively stateless if their permanent residency in another country were to lapse or expire.[83]
China
The vast majority of British Nationals (Overseas) are ethnically Chinese and were automatically granted Chinese nationality at the transfer of sovereignty. Individuals who hold Chinese nationality concurrently with any other nationality, including BN(O) status, are treated solely as Chinese nationals under Chinese nationality law. Consequently, most BN(O)s do not have access to British consular protection while in Hong Kong, Macau, or mainland China.[37] Additionally, BN(O)s who are Chinese nationals must use a Mainland Travel Permit to enter mainland China.[78]
European Union
Before the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union on 31 January 2020, full British citizens were European Union citizens.[84] British Nationals (Overseas) have never been EU citizens and did not enjoy freedom of movement in other EU countries. They were,[85] and continue to be, exempted from obtaining visas when visiting the Schengen Area.[84]
Similarly, while full British citizens may continue to exercise freedom of movement in Ireland (part of the Common Travel Area with the UK), BN(O)s do not have this right.[86][87]
References
Citations
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- Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115) § 20
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Parliamentary debates
- "British Citizenship". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Lords. 22 March 2007. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
- "British Overseas Passport Holders in Hong Kong". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. 29 January 2020. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
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Publications
- Carroll, John (2007). A Concise History of Hong Kong. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-7425-3422-3.
- Cheng, Joseph Y.S. (1996). The Other Hong Kong Report 1996. The Chinese University Press. ISBN 962-201-715-0. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
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- Evans, J. M. (1972). "Immigration Act 1971". The Modern Law Review. 35 (5): 508–524. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2230.1972.tb02363.x. JSTOR 1094478.
- Foreign Affairs Select Committee (6 March 2015). The UK's relations with Hong Kong: 30 years after the Joint Declaration (PDF) (Report). Parliament of the United Kingdom. OCLC 909308751. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- Hansen, Randall (1999). "The Politics of Citizenship in 1940s Britain: The British Nationality Act". Twentieth Century British History. 10 (1): 67–95. doi:10.1093/tcbh/10.1.67.
- Joint Committee on Human Rights (25 March 2009). Legislative Scrutiny: Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill (PDF) (Report). Parliament of the United Kingdom. OCLC 877291632. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- Main Report (PDF). 1996 Population By-Census (Report). Census and Statistics Department. December 1996. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- Murphy, Cait (April 1991). "Hong Kong: A Culture of Emigration". The Atlantic. Vol. 264 no. 4. pp. 20–26. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- Rabushka, Alvin (1976). Value for Money: The Hong Kong Budgetary Process. Hoover Institution. ISBN 0-8179-6521-1.
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News articles
- "Britain's colonial obligations". The Economist. 3 July 1997. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
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- Cheng, Kris (27 January 2016). "HKSAR passport holders can join fast track UK border scheme – but BN(O) holders still ineligible". Hong Kong Free Press. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
- Cheng, Kris (22 July 2017). "Declassified files: UK warned in 1989 it would be 'impotent' if Hong Kong deal breached after handover". Hong Kong Free Press. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
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