On February 9, 2026, the government announced that adult children of British National (Overseas) status holders who were under 18 at the time of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China will now be eligible to apply for the route independently of their parents. Their partners and children will also be able to move to the UK under the expanded route.
In November 2025, the government confirmed they will retain a 5-year pathway to permanent UK settlement – compared to a new standard baseline of 10 years’ residence for most other migrants.
Since the BN(O) route was launched, over 230,000 people have been granted a visa and almost 170,000 have moved to the UK.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
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