Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her department has made on the number of children on the British National (Overseas) visa who would face delays in attaining settled status due to their parents’ inability to meet new proposed income and language mandatory criteria for indefinite leave to remain.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.

BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.

We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.

Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model and will consider the impacts on different groups, including children where relevant, and will be published in due course.

In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.