UK rejects visa scheme expansion to HK youths
The UK government has on Wednesday turned down an amendment to the Nationality and Borders Bill, which aimed to extend the eligibility of BNO visas to cover more youngsters in Hong Kong.
A group of 27 conservative members of the British parliament earlier signed an amendment to the Nationality and Borders Bill, calling for the visa scheme to be expanded to all Hongkongers 18 to 25 years of age, as long as one of their parents has BNO status.
Conservative MP Damian Green, who was immigration minister from 2010 to 2012, said although the UK government did create a new visa for people from Hong Kong with British National (Overseas) status, many youngsters below the age of 25 are not eligible for such pathway.
Green also added that existing routes like the Youth Mobility Scheme are inadequate.
The two-day discussion also heard UK’s immigration minister Kevin Foster claiming that the expansion will be too broad.
He said the amendment has not set an age limit for visa applicants and would include people who never set foot in Hong Kong - whose parents are BNO holders.
He also pointed out there are still alternative ways for those ineligible to apply for BNO to head to the UK, including applying for a student visa or working holiday.
Advocacy group Hong Kong Watch said it is deeply disappointing that the UK government did not take the opportunity that the amendment presented to give Hongkongers under the age of 25 access to BNO.
“The Government line that existing Youth Mobility Scheme is sufficient is nonsense. It is not a pathway to settlement.”
“This will not be the end of this. We look forward to Members of the Lords seeking to pass a version of the amendment and continuing to keep the pressure up,” the group wrote on Twitter.
Conservative MP Damian Green, who was immigration minister from 2010 to 2012, said although the UK government did create a new visa for people from Hong Kong with British National (Overseas) status, many youngsters below the age of 25 are not eligible for such pathway.
Green also added that existing routes like the Youth Mobility Scheme are inadequate.
The two-day discussion also heard UK’s immigration minister Kevin Foster claiming that the expansion will be too broad.
He said the amendment has not set an age limit for visa applicants and would include people who never set foot in Hong Kong - whose parents are BNO holders.
He also pointed out there are still alternative ways for those ineligible to apply for BNO to head to the UK, including applying for a student visa or working holiday.
Advocacy group Hong Kong Watch said it is deeply disappointing that the UK government did not take the opportunity that the amendment presented to give Hongkongers under the age of 25 access to BNO.
“The Government line that existing Youth Mobility Scheme is sufficient is nonsense. It is not a pathway to settlement.”
“This will not be the end of this. We look forward to Members of the Lords seeking to pass a version of the amendment and continuing to keep the pressure up,” the group wrote on Twitter.