Adult Children of BNO Holders Born After 1979 Can Now Apply for the BNO Visa
05 May 2026
If you are an adult child of a British National (Overseas) status holder and were born on or after 1 July 1979, you may now be able to apply for the BNO visa in your own right. This change came into effect on 8 April 2026, under Statement of Changes HC 1691.
Before this change, adult children who were not themselves BNO status holders had very limited options. Most were only able to apply as a household member at the same time as their parent, or were excluded entirely. In practice, this left out a large group of Hong Kongers who were children during the 1997 handover but are now adults in their late 20s, 30s, and 40s. The new rule closes that gap. Anyone born on or after 1 July 1979 who has a parent with BNO status is now eligible to apply independently, regardless of whether their parent has already applied or intends to apply.
You can include your own partner and children under 18 in your application. Your partner must have been in a relationship with you for at least two years. Your family members can apply at the same time as you or join you in the UK later. You do not need to form part of your parent's household, and your parent does not need to apply alongside you. There is one important limit: if you are the adult child of the BNO holder's partner rather than the BNO holder themselves, you cannot apply independently. You must apply together with the BNO status holder as the main applicant.
The Home Office estimates around 26,000 people will use this expanded route over the next five years. The visa duration options remain the same as for other BNO applicants: 30 months or 5 years. After five continuous years in the UK on the BNO route, you can apply for settlement, and then British citizenship after a further year. If you think you may qualify, check your eligibility on the GOV.UK BNO visa page. If your situation is complicated, consider taking specialist immigration advice before applying.
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