British visas to generate up to £2.9b for the UK by 2025

The UK has said it was unclear how many British National Overseas citizens of Hong Kong would make use of the scheme which offers a route to British citizenship, due to the pandemic, The Guardian reports.

Applications for the visas open on Sunday followed by a digital version via smartphone app on February 23.

The Home Office estimates, however, that between 123,000 and 153,700 Hong Kong residents and their families will use the scheme the first year and up to 322,400 over the next five years, bringing in between £2.4 billion and £2.9 billion to the UK by 2025.

On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the scheme, which offers a route to British citizenship, saying it honored the UK’s commitment to its former citizens.

“I am immensely proud that we have brought in this new route for Hong Kong BN(O)s to live, work and make their home in our country,” Johnson said.

“In doing so we have honored our profound ties of history and friendship with the people of Hong Kong, and we have stood up for freedom and autonomy – values both the UK and Hong Kong hold dear.”

Under the scheme, the UK estimates nearly three million Hong Kong residents and their dependents will be eligible to move to Britain for five years and apply for full citizenship.

The BNO scheme was first announced in July as controversial national security legislation imposed by Beijing went into effect in Hong Kong, sharply curtailing political freedoms.

It was soon followed by a wave of arrests of dozens of pro-democracy activists and politicians, including well known names like Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Agnes Chow Ting, and media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who has been charged under the new security law.

China says the path to citizenship is a violation of international law and interferes with its internal affairs.