UK government announces five-year pathway to settlement for BNOs will be maintained
Yesterday, the UK government announced that the five-year pathway to settlement will be maintained for the BNO visa scheme. Hong Kong Watch welcomes this step from the UK government to demonstrate its commitment to the people of Hong Kong, which also marks a major breakthrough following our advocacy campaign to maintain the ‘5+1’ BNO pathway in the past six months.
A government statement titled ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, published on 20 November, laid out the details of the consultation on earned settlement. In the statement, the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP stated that “settlement will be quicker for those who have a uniquely strong attachment to this country, including the spouses and dependents of British citizens and British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)s) from Hong Kong.”
The statement also highlighted the UK government’s commitment to the BNO visa, and the continued contribution Hong Kongers are making in the UK: “The government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK and is fully committed to the BN(O) route, which will continue to welcome Hong Kongers. We fully recognise the significant contribution that Hong Kongers have already made to the UK, and the role they will continue to play in the years ahead. That is why those on the BN(O) visa route will continue to be able to settle in the UK after living here for five years.”
Since the publication of the Immigration White Paper on 12 May, Hong Kong Watch has campaigned tirelessly for the ‘5+1’ BNO pathway to be maintained. This includes meeting with our parliamentary allies to raise key concerns, organising a photo stunt outside Parliament to demonstrate an urgent appeal from cross-party MPs, and preparing a policy briefing for over 60 MPs ahead of the Petitions Committee debate on the pathway to settlement in September, which resulted in over 30 MPs voicing their support for BNOs.
We also successfully secured a Westminster Hall debate on the impact of the White Paper on humanitarian visa pathways with our Patron James Naish MP, taking place next Tuesday 25 November, where MPs will have the opportunity to ask for clarity on how their BNO constituents will be impacted by other changes to eligibility requirements for settlement.
Hong Kong Watch expresses our heartfelt gratitude to our parliamentary allies and the BNO community for making this breakthrough possible. We will continue to seek further clarity on any other changes to qualifying requirements for BNOs, and ensure that the voices of the BNO community are heard.
Benedict Rogers, co-founder and Chair of Trustees of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“I am pleased to see that the UK government is honouring its commitment to the people of Hong Kong by maintaining the five-year pathway to settlement for BNOs. However, with lingering uncertainty around other qualifying requirements for BNOs, and the futures of Hong Kong asylum seekers and refugees, I urge the government to provide further clarity and ensure that they demonstrate their responsibility towards not only those on the BNO visa scheme, but all Hong Kongers seeking a safe haven in the UK.”
英國政府宣布維持BNO五年定居途徑 香港監察促釐清其他BNO定居資格要求變動
昨天，英國政府宣布將維持BNO簽證計劃的五年定居途徑。香港監察歡迎這項決定，樂見英國政府履行對香港人的承諾。這亦是我們過去半年為維持「5+1」BNO政策而展開倡議工作取得的重大突破。
英國政府於11月20日發表題為《A Fairer Pathway to Settlement》的政府聲明，就有關「賺取式定居」（earned settlement）的諮詢提供細節。內政大臣馬曼婷（Shabana Mahmood）在聲明中表示：「那些與英國有特殊深厚聯繫的人，包括英國公民的配偶和受養人及BNO港人，可享更加快捷的定居途徑。」
聲明亦強調英國政府對BNO簽證的承諾，以及香港人對英國的持續貢獻：「英國政府始終毫不動搖地支持在英港人社群，並對BNO簽證的承諾堅定不移，BNO簽證將繼續歡迎香港人。我們完全肯定香港人已對英國作出的重大貢獻，而未來多年他們亦將繼續貢獻英國社會。因此，BNO簽證持有人將可繼續在英國居滿五年後申請永居。」
自今年5月12日英國政府發表移民白皮書以來，香港監察一直不懈倡議維持「5+1」BNO政策。我們的倡議工作包括：與國會議員會面提出10年定居途徑對BNO港人的嚴重影響；在國會大樓外舉行快閃拍照活動，展示跨黨派議員對維持政策的緊急呼籲；以及在9月下議院定居途徑請願辯論前，為60多位議員編製政策簡報，最後辯論中有逾30位議員發聲支持BNO港人。
我們亦與香港監察贊助人James Naish MP合作，成功就白皮書對人道主義簽證途徑的影響申請國會辯論。辯論將於下星期二（11月25日）舉行，屆時國會議員可就其他定居資格要求變動對BNO港人的影響作提問。
香港監察衷心感謝國會議員盟友和BNO港人社群與我們合力促成這項突破。我們將繼續促請政府進一步釐清任何其他BNO定居資格要求的變動，確保BNO港人社群的聲音獲聽見。
香港監察共同創辦人兼信託董事會主席羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）表示：
「我樂見英國政府信守對香港人的承諾，維持BNO計劃的五年定居途徑。然而，鑒於其他BNO定居資格要求及尋求庇護港人和港人難民的未來依然存在不確定因素，我促請政府進一步釐清相關疑問，確保英國對BNO簽證持有人乃至所有在英國尋求安全避風港的香港人都展現承擔。」
Photo: Olenka V on Unsplash