#LifeBoat
UK Government considering proposals to expand #BNO scheme for Hong Kong youngsters born after 1997
On February 10, the UK parliament continued to debate proposed law amendments that would widen the pathway for people with British national (overseas) (BNO) status to resettle in the UK.
The amendment aimed to expand the BNO visa scheme to those aged between 18 and 25 who were born on or after 1997 who have BNO parents to access the scheme independently of their parents.
Speaking in a Committee Stage debate at the House of Lords, the last governor, Chris Patten bluntly criticised the Chief Executives of Hong Kong and members of HK Police Force.
“Everyone of my successors as Chief Executive of Hong Kong had a British passport. ... [the] unhappy paradox is the people at the moment, the quisling, including the member in the police force, [who are] doing the prosecuting, have British passport. And the ones being prosecuted, or the ones being locked up, don't," Lord Patten said.
He continued: "... what is happening in Hong Kong - the destruction of a free city, one of the great free cities in the world - I think that's wrong and we should say it's wrong"
The debate, led by Lord of Alton of Liverpool, saw the amendment receive support from all sides of the House of Commons including with support from Lord Patten of Barnes, the last Governor of Hong Kong as well as the Liberal Democrat and Labour frontbench.
Lord Sharpe of Epsom, the Government Whip in the Lords, said, "We are looking seriously at whether more can be done to support this cohort. I hope this will cheer your Lordships up that we hope to update the House by Report stage."
#ChrisPatten #BNO
Source: Radio France Asia Cantonese; #Feb11
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/uk-bno-02112022140036.html
UK Government considering proposals to expand #BNO scheme for Hong Kong youngsters born after 1997
On February 10, the UK parliament continued to debate proposed law amendments that would widen the pathway for people with British national (overseas) (BNO) status to resettle in the UK.
The amendment aimed to expand the BNO visa scheme to those aged between 18 and 25 who were born on or after 1997 who have BNO parents to access the scheme independently of their parents.
Speaking in a Committee Stage debate at the House of Lords, the last governor, Chris Patten bluntly criticised the Chief Executives of Hong Kong and members of HK Police Force.
“Everyone of my successors as Chief Executive of Hong Kong had a British passport. ... [the] unhappy paradox is the people at the moment, the quisling, including the member in the police force, [who are] doing the prosecuting, have British passport. And the ones being prosecuted, or the ones being locked up, don't," Lord Patten said.
He continued: "... what is happening in Hong Kong - the destruction of a free city, one of the great free cities in the world - I think that's wrong and we should say it's wrong"
The debate, led by Lord of Alton of Liverpool, saw the amendment receive support from all sides of the House of Commons including with support from Lord Patten of Barnes, the last Governor of Hong Kong as well as the Liberal Democrat and Labour frontbench.
Lord Sharpe of Epsom, the Government Whip in the Lords, said, "We are looking seriously at whether more can be done to support this cohort. I hope this will cheer your Lordships up that we hope to update the House by Report stage."
#ChrisPatten #BNO
Source: Radio France Asia Cantonese; #Feb11
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/uk-bno-02112022140036.html
Radio Free Asia
【聚焦香港】彭定康批「外國護照」特首乃「叛徒」
英國上議院周四辯論放寬港人BNO簽證。前港督彭定康促英國政府接納修訂案，他發言時更狠批歷屆香港特首或家人持有英國護照，被迫害的年輕人卻沒有。同日，下議院無異議支持台灣參與多邊組織。另外，英國國會外交委員會下周六啓程訪問台灣。
#BNO
UK allows young Hongkongers a pathway to British citizenship
#UK #Citizenship #NationalSecurityLaw #Emigration
Source: RFA; #Feb25
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
UK allows young Hongkongers a pathway to British citizenship
#UK #Citizenship #NationalSecurityLaw #Emigration
Source: RFA; #Feb25
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#BNO
UK allows young Hongkongers a pathway to British citizenship
The British government announced new amendments to the British National (Overseas) immigration route on February 25, 2022, which allows Hong Kongers who were born on or after 1997 and who have parents with BNO passports to access it independently of their parents.
The BNO scheme, designed to offer a path to citizenship for Hong Kong nationals in the wake of Beijing’s national security law being imposed, required that applicants hold a BNO passport.
While the scheme allows applicants to bring relatives, including adult children, with them to the UK, many young people who have taken part in pro-democracy protests in 2019 have had to flee alone because their parents wish to remain in Hong Kong.
Acknowledging that this was creating “unfair outcomes”, Immigration minister Kevin Foster said it was “right and important” that the government change the policy to enable individuals aged 18 or over who were born on or after 1 July 1997 and who have at least one BNO parent to apply to the route independently.
He said the government intended to lay the changes to the immigration rules in September, with the changes expected to go live in October.
#UK #Citizenship #NationalSecurityLaw #Emigration
Source: RFA; #Feb25
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/uk-visa-02242022121049.html
UK allows young Hongkongers a pathway to British citizenship
The British government announced new amendments to the British National (Overseas) immigration route on February 25, 2022, which allows Hong Kongers who were born on or after 1997 and who have parents with BNO passports to access it independently of their parents.
The BNO scheme, designed to offer a path to citizenship for Hong Kong nationals in the wake of Beijing’s national security law being imposed, required that applicants hold a BNO passport.
While the scheme allows applicants to bring relatives, including adult children, with them to the UK, many young people who have taken part in pro-democracy protests in 2019 have had to flee alone because their parents wish to remain in Hong Kong.
Acknowledging that this was creating “unfair outcomes”, Immigration minister Kevin Foster said it was “right and important” that the government change the policy to enable individuals aged 18 or over who were born on or after 1 July 1997 and who have at least one BNO parent to apply to the route independently.
He said the government intended to lay the changes to the immigration rules in September, with the changes expected to go live in October.
#UK #Citizenship #NationalSecurityLaw #Emigration
Source: RFA; #Feb25
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/uk-visa-02242022121049.html
Radio Free Asia
【移居英國】97後合資格港人可獨立申請BNO 料今年10月生效
英國官員周四表示，英國政府已決定修改BNO簽證申請計劃，1997年7月1日或之後出生、滿18歲的的港人，只要父母其中一方持BNO資格，將被容許以個人身份獨立申請BNO簽證。政府打算在9月對移民規則作出修改，措施可望從10月起生效。