Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out a timeline for announcing changes to the BN(O) visa scheme.

On 9 February, the Home Secretary announced the expansion of eligibility for the BN(O) route. BN(O) status holders’ adult children who were under 18 at the point of Hong Kong’s handover on 1 July 1997 will be able to apply independently of their parents. This expansion will close a gap in eligibility that has led to unfair outcomes within families and ensure we continue to honour our historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong.

We intend to lay the necessary changes to the Immigration Rules in March with the route open to applications from this additional cohort later this Spring.