London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Chinese 'spies' trickling into Britain through special visa scheme for Hongkongers, report claims

Chinese 'spies' trickling into Britain through special visa scheme for Hongkongers, report claims

Chinese "spies" have found a way to sneak into the UK by applying for visas as Hong Kong refugees, a report by The Times claimed on Sunday, citing government sources.
According to the newspaper, these so-called "sleeper agents" were said to have applied for BNO visas by pretending to be asylum seekers who want to escape from the "totalitarian state”.

"There are stringent background checks in place for the visa applications — and they're in place for a reason", government sources said. "The vetting process for the BNO visa scheme is much more thorough than any other".

According to the last British governor of Hong Kong, Lord Christopher Patten Barnes, the overall checks are a justified response to the Hong Kong National Security Law. Since its introduction, Hong Kong residents have filed more than 30,000 applications.

"We are dealing with a totalitarian state which uses informers", he noted. "If anybody has fears that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will seek to place informers and people who will steal security secrets in open societies, then they are entirely justified. We should get real about this".

The British Home Office told the newspaper that there are "safeguards in place" during the visa application process "to ensure it is free from abuse and helps those most in need".

The Home Office added that more than a million could emigrate from Hong Kong under the scheme, but the most likely number would be up to 322,400.

Successful applicants can come for up to five years, after which they may settle indefinitely.

In May the Home Office published figures showing more than 34,000 Hongkongers had applied for visas to come here in just the first two months of a new scheme.

Some may be securing a visa just in case Beijing intensifies its crackdown on Hong Kong’s special status, including democratic rights supposedly guaranteed in law when the UK handed the city back to China in 1997, which has a population of more than seven million.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×