New Hong Kong report records BNO settlement progress and English language position
24 Oct 2026
If you're on the BNO visa route, the government has published its six-monthly report on Hong Kong for 1 January to 30 June 2026. GOV.UK shows it was published on 22 October 2026. This is a report, not a new rule.
The BN(O) section says that by March 2026, "9,804 individuals had been granted settlement in the UK, including over 8,600 grants issued during the preceding year." It also says approximately 238,000 applications under the BN(O) visa route had been approved between January 2021 and March 2026.
The report also covers the English language requirement. It says Minister Mike Tapp confirmed on 16 March that the B2 requirement would not apply to the route. In its words, "The B1 English language requirement remains unchanged."
The report does not give any new deadlines or tell applicants to take action. If you plan to apply for settlement, check the current BNO guidance on GOV.UK before you apply.
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