British National Overseas (BNO) Visa
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A quick look
With the British National Overseas Visa, you can either apply to stay for 2 years and 6 months, or 5 years. You can choose to extend your visa as many times as you want. You can also apply to live in the UK permanently after 5 years.
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No, this visa does not need to be accompanied by a Sponsor Licence.
You are allowed to:
- Work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach)
- Study (including school, college or university)
You are not allowed to apply for public funds or benefits, although this may change under certain circumstances, once the visa has been issued.
British National Overseas (BNO) Visa
The British National Overseas Visa, also known as a BNO Visa or a BN(O) Visa, allows individuals from Hong Kong, who are British Nationals (Overseas), to live in the UK along with their family members. It enables individuals to live, work and study here and can lead to indefinite leave to remain and citizenship.
Requirements
To apply, you must be 18 or over, have British National (Overseas) status, and be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong, the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
A valid BNO passport is not needed to make your application but may still be required to prove your identity.Â
You must provide proof of permanent residence, regardless of whether you live in Hong Kong or the UK. Also, you will be asked to provide up to three documents to prove your address, they can be any of the following:
- Records of rent or mortgage payments
- Payslips
- Letter from employer confirming employment
- Household utility bills
- A visa, residence permit or other immigration document
How long can you stay?
You can apply to stay for either 2.5 years or 5 years. The BNO Visa can later be extended, once you are in the UK, should you want to stay longer.Â
You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you want.
After you have lived in the UK for 5 years, you can apply to live in the UK permanently.
How much does a British National Overseas Visa cost?
You and your family members will each need to pay a a for your BNO Visa application. It costs £180 if you are applying for 2.5 years and £250 if you are applying for five years. You might also need to go to a biometric appointment to provide your information, fingerprints and a photo – which costs £19.20.
When you apply for this visa, it is required that you pay the immigration healthcare surcharge fee.
- For people aged 18 or over, this is £2,587.50 for the two years and six months visa, and £5,175 for the five year visa.
- For people aged under 18, the cost is £1,940 for the 2 years and 6 months visa, and £3,880 for the five year visa.Â
Ready for assistance?
If you have any questions about the changes or want legal advice, contact
Woodcock Law & Notary Public today. Contact us by phone on +44 (0)20 7712 1705 or
by email at info@woodcocklaw.co.uk.
