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Home Office Statement on BN(O) Visa Pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain

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Home Office statement to Strategic Migration Partnerships on the consultation to extend qualifying residency period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) to 10-years from 5-years and its impact on the BN(O) Visa

The Home Office has reiterated to the North West RSMP that a consultation on “earned settlement”, including the extension of the qualifying residency period in the UK to obtain ILR to 10-years as well as which visa and migration routes it will impact, will take place later this year.

Contrary to recent reports in the media and those being shared within the Hong Kong community that the UK Government has exempted people on the BN(O) route from these changes, no decision has yet been made on which routes the changes will apply to. The Home Office has confirmed that the BN(O) visa route will be part of the consultation planned for later in the year.

The Home Office confirmed that the Governments position, as set out in Parliament on 8th September, has not changed despite recent media reports.

As soon as the consultation is open for responses, we will ensure that this is shared as widely as possible and strongly encourage BN(O) visa holders to respond to the consultation on the potential impacts to them and their families from the proposed changes.

Please see below for a statement from the Home Office to the North West RSMP, and Strategic Migration Partnerships across the UK.

“The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in the future. 

Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits.  Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country.  We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country.  

The reforms set out in the White Paper will be delivered through Parliament.  Some measures will require primary legislation and further consultation, while others will be brought in more swiftly.  There will be opportunity for everyone to contribute to the consultation on changes to new earned settlement and citizenship rules, including on the potential impacts on those on the BN(O) route.  We will provide details of how the new rules will work after the consultation, including which immigration routes they will apply to and when the changes will be applied. 

Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course.”

 

 

內政部就將無限期居留 (ILR) 期限從 5 年延長至 10 年的諮詢及其對英國國民(海外)簽證的影響向移民策略夥伴發表聲明

 

內政部向西地區 RSMP 重申,將於今年稍後就’獲得定居權’進行諮詢,包括將獲得無限期居留 (ILR) 的英國居住資格期限延長至 10 年,以及這將對哪些簽證和移民路線產生影響。

情况與近期媒體報道以及香港社區普遍認為英國政府已豁免持有英國國民(海外)簽證人士不受這些變更影響的說法相反,目前英國政府尚未決定哪些簽證類別將適用於這些變更中。英國內政部已確認,英國國民(海外)簽證類別將納入計劃於今年稍後進行的諮詢。

內政部證實,儘管最近媒體有報道,但政府的立場並沒有改變,正如 9 8 日議會所闡述的那樣。

一旦諮詢開始徵求意見,我們將盡可能確保廣泛地分享意見,並強烈鼓勵英國國民(海外)簽證持有人就擬議變更對他們及其家人的潛在影響做出回應。

請參閱下文內政部向西北區 RSMP 和英國各地移民策略夥伴發布的完整聲明。

政府致力於支持已經移居英國的香港社區成員以及在未來可能移居英國的香港社區成員。 

在英國定居是成為英國公民的先決條件,並可帶來終身福利。定居也是融入當地社區和國家,並做出貢獻的重要一步。因此,我們將改革現行的定居規則,使每個人必須透過對英國的長期貢獻才能獲得英國優先移民身分。  

白皮書中提出的改革措施將通過議會實施。部分措施需要主要立法和進一步協商,而其他措施則需要更快地推出。每個人都有機會參與關於新取得定居和公民身份規則變更的磋商,包括對英國國民(海外)簽證持有人的潛在影響。在諮詢結束後,我們將公佈新規則的具體實施細節,包括適用於哪些移民途徑以及何時實施這些變更。

在移民白皮書中所宣布的所有措施的進一步細節將在適當的時候以正常方式公佈。