It’s worth noting that this does not include Ireland. The new blue passport design is being phased in, with Brits already being issued the new design. The Home Office said new rules will apply to UK tourists travelling to many European countries under a no-deal Brexit and "some people may need to renew their passport earlier than planned". Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Craig Choy, a lawyer and campaigner on BNO matters, says that letting in these British nationals would be a good way for the country to demonstrate its vaunted global openness after Brexit. It was issued to people in Hong Kong by the United Kingdom before Hong Kong returned to China in 1997. The new passports will also be one of the most secure travel documents in … This page will be updated with the latest information about this new immigration route. About this visa The UK will open a ‘Hong Kong BN (O) visa’ for BN (O) citizens and their close family members from 31 January 2021. We use cookies to allow us and selected partners to improve your experience and our advertising. London will allow BNO passport holders to live and work in Britain, in response to China’s crackdown on political freedoms in the Asian financial center. Peter Brady said he was "very happy" he … Brits can still move to Germany or any other EU country and work or live. You’ll be able to apply for the Hong Kong BN(O) visa from 31 January 2021. If you’re already in the UK, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man, and your last grant of permission was for 6 months or less (for example leave outside the rules at the border), you must provide a TB test certificate from an approved centre in the UK. Currently there are 350,000 BNO passport holders, but about three million Hong Kong residents are eligible for BNO passports - and that doesn't appear to include dependants born after 1997. Published 22 December 2017. Published 18 April 2018 'Iconic' blue British passport to return after Brexit. The 20,000 BNO holders now living in … You must show that you can accommodate and provide financial support for yourself and your family members for at least 6 months in the UK. Children under 18 should apply with both of their parents, although there are some exceptions. Published 18 April 2018 'Iconic' blue British passport to return after Brexit. When the news broke that BNO passport holders were eligible for British citizenship after living and working in … If you’re already in the UK, you must normally live in Hong Kong, the UK, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man. The time is ticking for British holidaymakers to renew their passports, which could need as much as 15 months’ validity in the event of a no-deal Brexit. If your family members do not apply with you, they will not be able to apply for the Hong Kong BN(O) visa to join you later. "Anyone who thinks they might be affected should look to renew their passport today or if you already have travel plans in the near future, consider using the fast-track passport renewal service." You’ll be able to apply from outside or inside the UK. It says that in 2016, the year of the EU referendum, 33 British citizens applied for Spanish nationality. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. In 2017, that rose to 181, then rose again to 209 in 2018. UK confirms post-Brexit passport deal with Gemalto. Hong Kong residents born after the 1997 handover are not eligible for the BNO passport - and those who did not apply for one before the handover are not allowed to do so now. To be on the safe side, you can check if you need to renew by using the government’s online Passport Checker. Passports will need to be valid for at least six months after October 31 – compared to current rules … You’ll be able to apply to enter or remain in the UK for a period of 30 months (which you can extend by a further 30 months) or a period of 5 years. Britain created the BNO status ahead of the 1997 handover to China, allowing Hongkongers to apply for a restricted form of a passport without the right of abode. The British National Overseas (BNO) passport. Moving to Germany after Brexit You’ll be able to apply for citizenship once you’ve been settled in the UK for 12 months. Expiry date rules set for a shake up BREXIT could render your passport invalid for travel across Europe, depending on … You won’t need to provide a TB test certificate if you were last given permission to stay in the UK for more than 6 months and you’ve provided a TB test certificate before. About 3.4 million Hong Kong citizens hold BNO passports, but only 22,000 of them applied for renewal by 2014. We use cookies to collect information about how you use GOV.UK. You’ll be able to apply for settlement after 5 years if you meet the requirements, and British citizenship 12 months after settlement. UK confirms post-Brexit passport deal with Gemalto. It could subject British holidaymakers to existing rules for visitors from non-EU countries travelling to Schengen Area countries – 26 European countries that have officially abolished passport control at their mutual borders. You’ll be able to apply to settle in the UK (also called ‘indefinite leave to remain’) once you’ve lived here for 5 years. A survey has found that 93 per cent of British National Overseas (BNO) status holders in Hong Kong intend to emigrate to the UK within three years, as Britain begins a passport … Pages inside the new passports will include images from across the UK after Britain leaves the EU in 2019. Information about the requirements for the new Hong Kong BN(O) visa. You’ll need a valid travel document and you can use a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport to travel if you have one. /AP. First I’m going to declare a personal interest, my passport expires in a few months and it’s had a few months added to it from when I renewed it last. British holidaymakers to existing rules for visitors from non-EU countries travelling to Schengen Area countries – 26 European countries that have officially abolished passport control at their mutual borders. However once the transition period has come to a close (it may be extended past the 31st December 2020) then it may become more difficult to move to Germany after Brexit. The UK will open a ‘Hong Kong BN(O) visa’ for BN(O) citizens and their close family members from 31 January 2021. If you’re applying from outside the UK, you and your family members must normally live in Hong Kong. If the UK ends up leaving the EU without a deal after the transition period, rules for passports could change and you may need to take action. Craig Choy, a lawyer and campaigner on BNO matters, says that letting in these British nationals would be a good way for the country to demonstrate its vaunted global openness after Brexit. In response, a Home Office spokesperson said: ‘HM Passport Office will have the appropriate resources in place to handle the extra renewal applications, in addition to its normal volumes.’. Hong Kong people who hold British National (Overseas) passports deserve residency in the United Kingdom. We use cookies to allow us and selected partners to improve your experience and our advertising. Those with BNO status can apply for and hold a British passport but are not entitled to full UK citizenship rights. However, if there is no Brexit deal, the UK will be counted as a "third country". While it should take three weeks for your renewed or replaced passport to arrive, the closer we get to a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, the busier the Passport Office is likely to get as more holidaymakers realise they need to renew. Non-EU citizens, like the British after Brexit, will pay about 100,000 euros.” An Irish passport could be a simple enough way to save that money. What is the current situation with passports amid Brexit chaos? More detailed information on what documents you need will be published before the visa route opens. Some Brits … You can apply for the Hong Kong BN(O) visa if you are a BN(O) citizen. 1540: Travel papers are called passports for the first time. It also warns that an application may take longer if more information is needed or your application hasn’t been filled out correctly. Our practical and impartial consumer advice, rigorously researched and regularly delivered by email, can help you prepare for when the UK leaves the EU. The return of the blue passport is being hailed as a victory by pro-Brexit MPs British passports issued after October 2019 will be dark blue and gold, replacing the current burgundy model. The Passport Office currently advises applicants that renewals can take up to three weeks, meaning that Britons have until early October to apply if they plan to travel immediately after Brexit. The Passport Office currently advises applicants that renewals can take up to three weeks, meaning that Britons have until early October to apply if they plan to travel immediately after Brexit. Will my passport be valid after Brexit? You’ll need to pay a fee to apply for citizenship. The Great British Race to Get a Second Passport As hard Brexit looms ever larger on the horizon, British citizens who want to keep living in Europe are taking matters into their own hands. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Tuberculosis (TB) certificate requirement, British National (Overseas) citizens in Hong Kong, Hong Kong: tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa, How to apply for a British National Overseas passport from Hong Kong, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support, Transparency and freedom of information releases, study (including applying for higher education courses), attend school if they are under 18 (all state schools are free), attend education and training if they are aged 16 to 19, spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner, adult child born on or after 1 July 1997 (and their spouse, or child under the age of 18), other family members (parent, grandparent, brother, sister, son or daughter) in exceptional circumstances where there is a high level of dependency, offers of support or accommodation from friends or family, £1,560 if you’re applying to stay for 30 months, £3,120 if you’re applying to stay for 5 years, £1,175 if you’re applying to stay for 30 months, £2,350 if you’re applying to stay for 5 years, have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months in the previous 5 years. Sign up for email updates. You’ll need to pay the following fee and each of your family members will need to pay the fee too: You’ll need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. As we reported earlier in the year, some passports won’t be accepted for travel to Schengen Area countries, such as Spain and Italy, if the UK leaves the EU without an agreement on 31 October 2019. If you’ve already spent time in the UK on a route to settlement (for example, a general work (Tier 2) visa), this time will count towards the 5 years. Will your passport be VALID in Europe after Brexit? However once the transition period has come to a close (it may be extended past the 31st December 2020) then it may become more difficult to move to Germany after Brexit. With the UK government on holiday until September, that scenario is looking increasingly likely. You’ve accepted all cookies. However, these nine months, or any period beyond 10 years, will not be valid for travel to Schengen Area countries. I’ve had the message from the passport office warning that it might not be valid for travel to Europe after 29th March. This stipulation would not only affect Brits with less than six months left on their passport but also some with up to 15 months left. Spain’s ministry of justice told Guardian Money that “the latest data we have of Britons who have applied for Spanish citizenship are very low”. While neither Britain nor China wants that, … On Friday, MPs in the House of Commons voted down Prime Minister Theresa … The new burgundy passports were introduced from 30 March, the day after the UK was supposed to leave the EU. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Britain said Thursday that China firmly opposes Britain's offer to provide more privileges for Hong Kong residents holding BNO passports, and reserves the right to take corresponding measures. More detailed information will be published before the visa route opens. Moving to Germany after Brexit British passports will carry on being valid to travel to the EU after Brexit. (Getty Images) The value of having a British passport has plunged in the wake of Brexit, as UK citizens’ right to travel the world is under threat. About 300,000 UK citizens live in Spain, yet few have applied for citizenship. We use this information to make the website work as well as possible and improve government services. British passports will go back to blue after Brexit, ditching EU burgundy. BNO status is a type of British nationality which was created specifically for citizens of Hong Kong in anticipation of the return of sovereignty to China, to allow them to retain a level of connection the UK after 1 July 1997. cuts through the noise to find the facts. The rules state that visitors from non-EU countries must have at least six months left on their passport … Published 22 December 2017. Are blue passports coming back after Brexit? Your family members who normally live with you may also be able to apply, including your: You and your family members must all apply together at the same time. For each child under the age of 18, this will be: Once you’ve paid the IHS, you’ll be able to use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. However, if you have an expired BN(O) passport you can submit it with your application. You don’t need a valid a BN(O) passport to show this and you don’t need to request a new passport if it’s expired or has been lost. BNO holders in … As a BNO only serves as a travel document, it does not affect the rights of a permanent Hong Kong resident. The British National Overseas (BNO) passport is a travel document that allows people to get consular assistance and protection from UK diplomatic posts. Read more guidance for BN(O)s. For further information on this visa route read the Hong Kong BN(O) visa policy statement. By continuing to browse you consent to our use of cookies. Until recently, UK citizens who renewed their passport before it had expired had any remaining validity added to the validity of the new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. In … Which? Home Office, HM Passport Office, and The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP Britons will be able to travel with a blue passport when the traditional colour returns for the first time in almost 30 years. A survey has found that 93 per cent of British National Overseas (BNO) status holders in Hong Kong intend to emigrate to the UK within three years, as Britain begins a passport visa scheme next month. The rules require that passports must have been issued within the past 10 years and have at least six months’ validity remaining on the day of travel. Millions of UK holidaymakers have been warned they need to renew their passports by tomorrow or face being barred from entering several European countries under a no-deal Brexit. A no-deal Brexit will leave millions of British holidaymakers with valid passports unable to travel to France and Spain after March 29. China: UK is breaking its own position . won’t be accepted for travel to Schengen Area countries, How to find the best flexible flight deals, Travel and holiday rules for tier 2 and tier 3 restrictions Q&A, Test to release and travel corridors: what quarantine rules mean for your holiday plans. British passports will go back to blue after Brexit, ditching EU burgundy. That means I had a British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a child. THE first passport-type papers appeared in 1414 with a "safe conduct" document referred to in an Act of Parliament in Henry V's reign. To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. A survey has found that 93 per cent of British National Overseas (BNO) status holders in Hong Kong intend to emigrate to the UK within three years, as Britain begins a passport … The BNO passport is basically a travel document that does not carry citizenship rights. You won’t need to meet this requirement if you’ve been living in the UK for more than a year when you apply. It also warns that an application may take longer if more information is needed or … Brits can still move to Germany or any other EU country and work or live. It’s worth noting that this does not include Ireland. Here is a comparison between the visa-free statuses of a German passport (Power Rank 1), and a British passport (Power Rank 2). If you normally live in Hong Kong you must provide a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate from an approved centre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)_passport More details will be published before the visa opens for applications. A BNO passport holder can hold an HKSAR passport at the same time. One major stumbling block is that Spain does not recog… You’ll be able to apply to enter or remain in the UK for a … THE Home Office has issued a passport warning to Brits travelling to Europe after Brexit. You can understand more and change your cookies preferences here. You can change your cookie settings at any time. A no-deal Brexit will leave millions of British holidaymakers with valid passports unable to travel to France and Spain after March 29. Eu referendum, 33 British citizens applied for citizenship very happy '' he British... You need will be counted as a `` third country '' images from across the UK after Britain the! Include Ireland on the safe side, you and your family members normally. Rose to 181, then rose again to 209 in 2018 with both of their parents, although are. An approved centre about this new immigration route may take longer if information. 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