Starting From Today, Hong Kong Residents Have The Opportunity To Become British Citizens

Demonstration in support of Hong Kong's democracy (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Hong Kong residents from Sunday, January 31, can apply for new visas, which offer them the opportunity to become British citizens, after Beijing implemented national security laws in the Asian financial hub last year.

The move came when the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities said they would no longer recognize British National Overseas (BNO) passports as valid travel documents from Sunday, January 31.

Britain and China have been arguing for months about what London and Washington say is an attempt to silence dissent in Hong Kong following pro-democracy protests in 2019 and 2020.

Britain has said it fulfills its historical and moral commitments to the Hong Kong people after Beijing enacted a security law in the semi-autonomous city. Britain believes the law violates the terms of the 1997 Hong Kong return agreement to China.

The British government estimates the new visa could attract more than 300,000 people and their dependents to the UK. Beijing had previously said those people would become second-class citizens.

The scheme, which was first announced last year, allows those with BNO status to live, study and work in the UK for five years and eventually apply for citizenship.

BNO is a special status, created under British law in 1987 and specifically linked to Hong Kong. China says the views of Western countries about its actions on Hong Kong are being obscured by misinformation.