The BN(O) route in reverse: planning for British–Hong Kong families

Plenty of Brits in Hong Kong are married into Hong Kong families, and while you've settled in Kowloon, half the in-laws may be weighing up Reading. The rules on each side are quite different, so it pays to plan for both.

The short version

• The BN(O) visa lets British Nationals (Overseas) and their family move to the UK to live, work and study, with settlement after five years [1].
• The adult child of a BN(O), if born on or after 1 July 1979, can apply separately from their parent; since 8 October 2026 the category is called "BN(O) Adult Child" [2][7].
• A five-year BN(O) visa costs £285 per person plus an immigration health surcharge of £5,175 for an adult [3].
• A Hong Kong partner without BN(O) links would usually need the UK family visa instead, with its £29,000 combined income test [4].
• In Hong Kong, a permanent resident spouse can sponsor you as a dependant, and you can work without a separate visa [5].

Who's in your family, and which route fits

British–Hong Kong families come in many shapes. You might be a Brit married to a Hong Kong permanent resident living in Hong Kong; your spouse might hold BN(O) status from before 1997; your in-laws may be BN(O)s planning a move to Manchester; or your adult nephew may be wondering if he can go too. Here's how the main options compare.

The BN(O) visa in 2026

The BN(O) route is the UK's own scheme for Hong Kongers with a historic British link. You can apply if you're 18 or over and either a BN(O) or the child of one born on or after 1 July 1979 [1]. If you're applying from outside the UK, your permanent home must be in Hong Kong [1].

The adult child change

The separate route for adult children used to cover only those born on or after 1 July 1997, who were too young to register as BN(O)s themselves before the handover. GOV.UK's eligibility page now gives the date as 1 July 1979 [2], which brings in people who were children at the handover. From 8 October 2026, the statement of changes HC 584 also renamed the category from "BN(O) Household Member" to "BN(O) Adult Child", and removed the five-year continuous residence requirement for dependent children, so they can settle alongside their parents [7]. If your Hong Kong partner's younger siblings were ruled out before, it's worth looking again.

Who comes along

Family members can apply too, and they usually need to apply at the same time as the main applicant. The exceptions are a partner, a child under 18 and an adult dependent relative, who can apply separately later [2]. So if your father-in-law goes first and your mother-in-law follows after selling the flat in Tai Po, that can work.

What it costs

Source: GOV.UK, "How much it costs" [3]. That works out at about £1,035 a year for each adult and £776 for each child, paid up front. On a first application you also need to show enough money for housing and at least the equivalent of Income Support for six months: GOV.UK gives about £2,000 for a single adult and about £3,100 for a couple with a child [3]. You usually don't need to if you've already lived in the UK for 12 months [3].

For a couple and two teenagers on the five-year visa, that's £1,140 in fees and £18,110 in health surcharge, before a single flight is booked. It's a big sum, so start saving early.

What it gives

BN(O) visa holders can work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach) and study, but mostly can't claim benefits, with exceptions for real hardship such as destitution or a very low income that would harm a child [1]. After five years in the UK they can apply to settle, and then for British citizenship [1].

Early in November 2026 the Home Secretary set out the UK's new "earned settlement" model. Reporting of the statement says BN(O) holders keep their five-year route, while the English language level for settlement is set to rise to B2 [8]. No start date had been published when we checked, so treat the English change as announced rather than in force.

A Hong Kong partner without BN(O) links

If your partner was born after 1997 to parents with no BN(O) status, or comes from mainland China, the BN(O) route won't help. The usual route is then the UK family visa, where you and your partner normally need a combined income of at least £29,000 a year [4]. Our guide to bringing a non-British partner to the UK goes through it. If they qualify for both, compare the two carefully: the BN(O) route has no income test but a longer list of upfront costs.

Staying in Hong Kong as a British spouse

Going the other way, a Hong Kong permanent resident can sponsor a spouse, civil partner and unmarried children under 18 [5]. Dependants of permanent residents aren't barred from working, so you can take a job without your own work visa, and extensions usually run in three-year blocks [5]. New applications normally take about six weeks [5]. After seven years of ordinary residence you can apply for permanent residence yourself; our guide to permanent residence after seven years explains the rules. Permanent residents can also sponsor parents aged 60 or over [5], which helps if you'd like your own mum out for a long stay near the grandchildren.

Two passports, two systems

Mixed families need to know how each side sees them.

• Dual nationality. The FCDO says Hong Kong "does not recognise dual nationality". A family member with British and Chinese nationality "may be treated solely as a Chinese citizen" there, even on a British citizen passport, and the Consulate-General "may not be able to offer you consular assistance" [6].
• BN(O) passports aren't accepted for immigration clearance or as proof of identity in Hong Kong [6]. Hong Kong family members usually travel in and out on their Hong Kong documents.
• Children. A child born in Hong Kong to a British citizen parent may be British by descent; our guide to registering a child born abroad explains how. A child with a Hong Kong Chinese parent may also be treated as a Chinese national in Hong Kong.
• Security laws. The FCDO says the national security laws "apply to activities taking place inside and outside Hong Kong, including in the UK" [6]. That's worth knowing for relatives who move and keep visiting.

Planning money for both sides

A few things to talk through at the dinner table, ideally over a decent pot of tea:

1. Who pays the UK costs. Visa fees and the health surcharge are per person and up front [3].
2. Pensions. Relatives leaving Hong Kong for good can usually withdraw their MPF; see our MPF guide. Moving any pension between countries needs regulated financial advice, never a quick decision.
3. Your own UK State Pension stays frozen while you live in Hong Kong, but rises again if you move back to the UK [9].
4. Property. If in-laws sell in Hong Kong to buy in the UK, the UK stamp duty and mortgage rules for newcomers apply.
5. Tax. The UK and Hong Kong have a comprehensive double taxation agreement [10]. Once relatives are UK resident, the UK taxes their worldwide income; a tax adviser who knows both countries can check their position.

Families who've done this swap stories and spreadsheets in our community group for Brits in Hong Kong.

Sources

1. GOV.UK: British National (Overseas) visa
2. GOV.UK: BN(O) visa – eligibility and family members
3. GOV.UK: BN(O) visa – how much it costs
4. GOV.UK: Family visa – proof of income for a partner
5. Immigration Department: Entry for residence as dependants
6. GOV.UK (FCDO): Hong Kong travel advice (still current at 8 November 2026, updated 1 April 2026): the warnings and insurance, entry requirements, and safety and security pages
7. Home Office: Explanatory memorandum to the statement of changes HC 584 (3 September 2026; changes in force 8 October 2026)
8. Dimsum Daily: Britain keeps BN(O) five-year path, raises English bar (3 November 2026)
9. GOV.UK: State Pension if you retire abroad – rates
10. GOV.UK (HMRC): Hong Kong tax treaties

Keep reading

• Permanent residence in Hong Kong after seven years
• Moving to Hong Kong as a Brit: visa and residence routes
• Bringing a non-British partner to the UK later: the family visa
• Registering a child born abroad and British citizenship by descent