UK mulls over changes for Hong Kong citizens

[tomlee1986]

A real, actual and positive enhancement from the Johnson government

Actually in UK and in HK... it sounds weak... but something is always better than nothing

 

[drron]

Expats are already reported to be leaving.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

www.bloomberg.com

 

[kamchatsky]

Agree. But apparently China is worried about a 'high value' exodus - the big wealth earners and generators. If they leave the city could lose its financial status and benefits it brings to China.

All high value citizens would have a second passport anyway......

 

[tomlee1986]

Expats are already reported to be leaving.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

www.bloomberg.com

Not surprised because they think HK is no longer safe

 

[CityRail]

Not surprised because they think HK is no longer safe

Also Hong Kong has become no freedom and they cannot enjoy the safety and security guaranteed under One Country, Two Systems.

All is the fault of Xi Jing Ping. I appeal the world to discriminate Xi and marginalise China economically and politically, as a punishment for this country betrayed 8 million people of Hong Kong.

 

[tomlee1986]

All high value citizens would have a second passport anyway......

Most people would have a second passport but some might prefer to stay in HK... but that’s a very small minority

 

[CityRail]

Most people would have a second passport but some might prefer to stay in HK... but that’s a very small minority

The problem is that majority of the young people either don't have BNO passport nor they have access to a second passport.

Going overseas to study and migrate remains a unlikely outcome at the moment due to tight migration rules as well as COVID-19 travel restrictions.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The problem is that majority of the young people either don't have BNO passport nor they have access to a second passport.

Going overseas to study and migrate remains a unlikely outcome at the moment due to tight migration rules as well as COVID-19 travel restrictions.

It's not a difficult fix. UK could either broaden eligibility for BN(O), or they could relax visa requirements for HK passport holders, so 365 day entry is allowed without visa, or even two years, etc.

 

[p--and--t]

Agree. But apparently China is worried about a 'high value' exodus - the big wealth earners and generators. If they leave the city could lose its financial status and benefits it brings to China.

I think you will find CCP has had plan B for more than a decade.

AFAIAA Pudong was specifically built to be a future replacement financial hub sitting in the wings to be turned on to replace Hong Kong and diminish its reliance on the city.

 

[kamchatsky]

It's not a difficult fix. UK could either broaden eligibility for BN(O), or they could relax visa requirements for HK passport holders, so 365 day entry is allowed without visa, or even two years, etc.

The problem for with this is that anyone born after 1997 handover would be considered as Chinese Citizens, and not UK, as at that time it was no longer a UK colony. This impacts the young people the most.

The only way to deal with this is to allow BNO holders becoming full UK citizenship, so that the children can get it by descent. Currently BNO does not have such right.

Of course if the parents never took BNO (because they aligned with China) before 1997 then unfortunately there is nothing UK can do. Note that prior to 1997, it was choice of HKers to take BNO or not. It was specifically stated that it can only be taken prior to 1997, and not afterwards.

The only other way is to have someone to challenge the law at High Court and see if HKers can get full citizenship due to being born in UK colony prior to 1997.

I think you will find CCP has had plan B for more than a decade.

AFAIAA Pudong was specifically built to be a future replacement financial hub sitting in the wings to be turned on to replace Hong Kong and diminish its reliance on the city.

They have tried for more than a decade, and has never worked because of the law and financial mechanisms that are so different from HK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The problem for with this is that anyone born after 1997 handover would be considered as Chinese Citizens, and not UK, as at that time it was no longer a UK colony. This impacts the young people the most.

The only way to deal with this is to allow BNO holders becoming full UK citizenship, so that the children can get it be descent. Currently BNO does not have such right.

Of course if the parents never took BNO (because they aligned with China) before 1997 then unfortunately there is nothing UK can do. Note that prior to 1997, it was choice of HKers to take BNO or not. It was specifically stated that it can only be taken prior to 1997, and not afterwards.

The only other way is to have someone to challenge the law at High Court and see if HKers can get full citizenship due to being born in UK colony prior to 1997.

There doesn’t need to be any of this. The UK can simply say that holders of HK passports (SAR) can stay for two years without a visa. And they could introduce a path to citizenship.

They can do anything they want... it doesn’t matter of the persons affected are currently chinese citizens. Whether or not china would allow those people to leave is another matter.

It would be hard under current UK immigration law to allow BNO to be handed down by descent because that could have implications far and beyond just HK. It would be neater to come up with a HK specific policy that didn’t set precedent for other areas.

 

[kelvedon]

The only way to deal with this is to allow BNO holders becoming full UK citizenship, so that the children can get it by descent. Currently BNO does not have such right.

In this article, the UK Prime Minister is reported as saying that the new immigration laws for BNO passport holders would be a "route to citizenship". It also says that 2.6 million HK residence are eligible for a BNO. That's 35% of the HK population. (I believe only 300,000 or so were originally issued)

UK to change immigration rules for Hong Kong citizens if China passes law

Britain will change its immigration rules for Hong Kong citizens if China passes a new law, the PM says.

www.bbc.com

 

[kamchatsky]

In this article, the UK Prime Minister is reported as saying that the new immigration laws for BNO passport holders would be a "route to citizenship". It also says that 2.6 million HK residence are eligible for a BNO. That's 35% of the HK population. (I believe only 300,000 or so were originally issued)

UK to change immigration rules for Hong Kong citizens if China passes law

Britain will change its immigration rules for Hong Kong citizens if China passes a new law, the PM says.

www.bbc.com

I think they are counting the active BNO holders (300k) . My guess the 2.6 million is in relation to people who have expired BNO, and any children's that are named within the BNO passport. The reason the number is so high is because it was so expensive to renew compare to HKSAR passport, and for travel documentation HKSAR passport would cover most countries anyway.

With the new laws though, there are huge queues at DHL offices at HKG as people are renew their BNO again.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/hong-kong-blocks-tiananmen-vigil-rush-on-for-uk-passports/2020/06/01/697dea96-a3fd-11ea-898e-b21b9a83f792_story.html

 

[kamchatsky]

There doesn’t need to be any of this. The UK can simply say that holders of HK passports (SAR) can stay for two years without a visa. And they could introduce a path to citizenship.

They can do anything they want... it doesn’t matter of the persons affected are currently chinese citizens. Whether or not china would allow those people to leave is another matter.

It would be hard under current UK immigration law to allow BNO to be handed down by descent because that could have implications far and beyond just HK. It would be neater to come up with a HK specific policy that didn’t set precedent for other areas.

Whilst this sounds good in theory, realistically it would be very hard to pass parliament. UK has obligation to look after the BNO holders, they do not have an obligation to look after Chinese citizens. UK can only take so many people anyway as they have their own issues esp Brexit.

Another issue is that Chinese government has mandated HK to take 150 people per DAY from China since takeover, that would be around 1.2 million so far who have HKSAR passports but never had any association with UK.

Then there are kids who was born in HK but had both parents in China, who were granted HK citizens (it was since shutdown) in early 2000's.

I am not saying they are not deserving as they may be great citizens and believes in democracy and joins protests, but I just cannot see this being implemented given the UK politics.

 

[tomlee1986]

There doesn’t need to be any of this. The UK can simply say that holders of HK passports (SAR) can stay for two years without a visa. And they could introduce a path to citizenship.

They can do anything they want... it doesn’t matter of the persons affected are currently chinese citizens. Whether or not china would allow those people to leave is another matter.

It would be hard under current UK immigration law to allow BNO to be handed down by descent because that could have implications far and beyond just HK. It would be neater to come up with a HK specific policy that didn’t set precedent for other areas.

actually UK has a duty to the people who has BNO or people born in HK before July 1, 1997... but not for people who are born after... and a lot of these rules have to be passed by the UK House of Commons... the current option is the only choice that does NOT need parliamentary approval and can be done at speed

 

[Isochronous]

Whilst this sounds good in theory, realistically it would be very hard to pass parliament. UK has obligation to look after the BNO holders, they do not have an obligation to look after Chinese citizens. UK can only take so many people anyway as they have their own issues esp Brexit.

Another issue is that Chinese government has mandated HK to take 150 people per DAY from China since takeover, that would be around 1.2 million so far who have HKSAR passports but never had any association with UK.

Then there are kids who was born in HK but had both parents in China, who were granted HK citizens (it was since shutdown) in early 2000's.

I am not saying they are not deserving as they may be great citizens and believes in democracy and joins protests, but I just cannot see this being implemented given the UK politics.

Plus you have some communists who have access to British citizenship - e.g. Carrie Lam and CY Leung both renounced it so they could be eligible to become Chief Executive, but their spouses and children are all British. The UK needs to be able to filter the CCP infiltrators out of the scheme.

 

[tomlee1986]

Plus you have some communists who have access to British citizenship - e.g. Carrie Lam and CY Leung both renounced it so they could be eligible to become Chief Executive, but their spouses and children are all British. The UK needs to be able to filter the CCP infiltrators out of the scheme.

totally agreed on this point... even Meng Weizhou has more than a couple valid passport.. hope the British government can vet out these people sooner rather than later

 

[CityRail]

totally agreed on this point... even Meng Weizhou has more than a couple valid passport.. hope the British government can vet out these people sooner rather than later

When you introduce a blanket policy, it will be difficult to vet out people like that.

I think whilst the UK Government can grant Hong Kong citizens with BNO right of abode in the UK, they should be subject to an interview which only those aligned to the political interests of the UK and the Western World will be entitled for such privilege.

 

[tomlee1986]

When you introduce a blanket policy, it will be difficult to vet out people like that.

I think whilst the UK Government can grant Hong Kong citizens with BNO right of abode in the UK, they should be subject to an interview which only those aligned to the political interests of the UK and the Western World will be entitled for such privilege.

Actually there is a better way... give them British citizenship now, but charge them for treason if they did something like supporting CCP and against UK values

 

[Infrequent traveller]

Actually there is a better way... give them British citizenship now, but charge them for treason if they did something like supporting CCP and against UK values

As an immigrant from Hong Kong (now an Australia citizen), I don't disagree with the principle but just that policing would be really costly. I think we need to do both (vetting and treason charge where justified)