Govt urged to keep citizenship promise to Hong Kongers - after threat to double timeline
People who fled Hong Kong for the UK on the British National Overseas (BNO) humanitarian visa say they have been left in limbo after the immigration white paper last month said the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (settled status) would be extended from five years to 10 years.
The government has said it is consulting on whether Hong Kongers will be included in that extension, but has not given a timeline for when it will decide.
Hong Kongers have been able to come to the UK under the BNO visa since 2021, with the promise of gaining the right to work and live without any limits (settled status) after five years, then to apply for British citizenship a year later.
MPs with large Hong Kong populations in their constituencies are calling for the government to honour its initial promise.
They say changing it could undermine confidence in the UK's immigration system and that the country has a "duty" to welcome those fleeing repression.
Lord Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong and patron of campaign group Hong Kong Watch, said "rewriting the terms of the promise would be disastrous for the UK's legitimacy on the world stage".
Hong Kongers have told Sky News they have had sleepless nights since the announcement, with many concerned about the government's commitment to them and the financial implications of having to pay international university fees for their children because of their status.
Govt is breaching relationship
Stella, 50, from Sutton, moved to the UK in 2021 and her two sons are set to go to university from next year, when they should have settled status and pay home fees, but will have to pay international fees for five years if the period is doubled.
She said: "This was a binding relationship, we uprooted everything in Hong Kong, packing up our whole life was not an easy thing, the cultural and language barriers, the UK economy isn't good - there are many challenges, but we've been so dedicated to integrating and planting our roots here.
"Now the government is trying to breach the original relationship, it's made us feel very uncertain.
"I agree on strengthening the border but why don't they concentrate on illegal immigrants? We contribute financially and socially, BNO holders should not be the target group."
My son's fencing career is at risk
Kolman, 55, came to the UK in 2022, and said extending the five years could be the difference between his son being able to compete for Team GB in fencing or not.
"My son is at uni now and was invited to join the national team but, because of his status he can't, but he could in a couple of years with settled status," he said.
"If it gets extended to 10 years, he may already be in the last chapter of his sporting life."
1:50
UK integrity will be same as Hong Kong
Ivan, 50, from Sutton, came to the UK in 2022 with his wife and two sons and said he was anxious and his son might have to go to university in Hong Kong because of the international fees.
He said: "I am disappointed. The reason I came to the UK was the loss of integrity of the Hong Kong government, but if the settled status period is doubled with such short notice, I think the integrity of the UK government will be the same as the Hong Kong government.
"The terms were quite clear.
"My quality of sleep is really bad recently as I'm so anxious, my whole plan will be destroyed, I've just bought a house in Sutton. My biggest concern is the university fees and the NHS fee, which is a lot of money."
UK has duty to Hong Kongers
James Naish, the Labour MP for Rushcliffe near Nottingham, said the UK "has a duty to welcome those fleeing repression in Hong Kong".
"To fail to maintain the five-year pathway for BN(O) visa holders would potentially permanently damage the government's standing with Hongkongers, hundreds of thousands of whom have placed their trust in the UK and uprooted their lives to seek a safe haven in Britain," he added.
A vital lifeline
Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, said the five years to settled status had "provided a vital lifeline to those fleeing repression" and said it "isn't fair" to change the time period now.
"A 10-year wait for settled status would have huge practical implications for people who are eager to rebuild their lives in our country," she said.
"We must honour the terms that Hong Kongers, and other migrants, have arrived on."
Moral targets
Clive Jones, the Lib Dem MP for Wokingham, said: "This isn't about migration targets, it's about moral targets.
"Changing the rules halfway through undermines confidence in our immigration system.
"We lose our credibility if we fail to protect those we welcomed, and we gain nothing by disrupting the lives of those already contributing."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.
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