United Kingdom · For your nationality or ancestry
United Kingdom BN(O) visa
First stay: 5 yrs
British National (Overseas) visa
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
BN(O) visa is a for your nationality or ancestry route for United Kingdom. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- £206 ≈ $270 · £2,588 ≈ $3,420
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Cost, time and long term
Government fees£206 ≈ $270 · £2,588 ≈ $3,420
- GBP 206 (≈ $270)Application fee for 2 years and 6 months; GBP285 (≈ $380) for 5 years.
- GBP 2,587.5 (≈ $3,420)Healthcare surcharge per adult for 2 years and 6 months; GBP5,175 (≈ $6,840) for 5 years.
Shown, not spent~£2,000 ≈ $2,640
- GBP 2,000 (≈ $2,640)Funds to support yourself and your family for 6 months, in addition to housing costs; about this amount for a single adult, more for families (about GBP3,100 (≈ $4,100) for a couple with a child).
RenewalRenewable
Extend as many times as you want once in the UK.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
After 5 years in the UK you can apply for settlement.
CitizenshipAfter 6 years of residence
British citizenship needs 5 years living in the UK and then 12 months with settled status, so about 6 years on this route (no 12-month wait if married to a British citizen), with no more than 450 days outside the UK in the 5 years.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply from overseas (wait for a decision before travelling) or from inside the UK if your permanent home is in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Hong Kong.
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The applicant is a British national (overseas), or an adult child of one born on or after 1 July 1979.
- The applicant is 18 or older.
- The applicant's permanent home is in Hong Kong when applying from outside the UK.
What you must show2
- Enough money to pay for housing and to support the applicant and family for 6 months, at least the Income Support level.
- Application fee of GBP206 (≈ $270) for 2.5 years or GBP285 (≈ $380) for 5 years, plus the healthcare surcharge for each family member.
Steps1
- Apply online; apply from overseas but wait for the decision before travelling.
After you arrive1
- Extend as many times as wanted; apply for settlement after 5 years in the UK.
When you become tax resident
How United Kingdom decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
Statutory Residence Test.
- Foreign-source income
New-resident relief (4 years)
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
- Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains regime · Tax relief
All tax rules for United Kingdom Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Accommodation
Enough money to pay for housing and to support the applicant and family for 6 months, at least the Income Support level
- Money to show
This route asks for savings of ~£2,000 ≈ $2,640.
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Visa for British nationals (overseas) from Hong Kong, and their adult children born on or after 1 July 1979, to live, work and study in the UK for 2.5 or 5 years, with settlement possible after 5 years. 1
What you must show and pay
- Savings of about GBP 2,000 (≈ $2,640) · Funds to support yourself and your family for 6 months, in addition to housing costs; about this amount for a single adult, more for families (about GBP3,100 (≈ $4,100) for a couple with a child). 1
- A fee of GBP 206 (≈ $270) · Application fee for 2 years and 6 months; GBP285 (≈ $380) for 5 years. 1
- A fee of GBP 2,587.5 (≈ $3,420) · Healthcare surcharge per adult for 2 years and 6 months; GBP5,175 (≈ $6,840) for 5 years. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is a British national (overseas), or an adult child of one born on or after 1 July 1979. 1
- The applicant is 18 or older. 1
- The applicant's permanent home is in Hong Kong when applying from outside the UK. 1
- Enough money to pay for housing and to support the applicant and family for 6 months, at least the Income Support level. 1
- Application fee of GBP206 (≈ $270) for 2.5 years or GBP285 (≈ $380) for 5 years, plus the healthcare surcharge for each family member. 1
- Apply online; apply from overseas but wait for the decision before travelling. 1
- Extend as many times as wanted; apply for settlement after 5 years in the UK. 1
Stay
- Either 2 years and 6 months or 5 years; extendable as many times as wanted.
- First stay: 30 to 60 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
British nationals (overseas) from Hong Kong and their adult children born on or after 1 July 1979.
Work
Work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach) and study.
Family
Partner, children under 18 and some dependent adult relatives can apply as dependants; each pays the fee and healthcare surcharge.
Official sources
- British National (Overseas) visa · GOV.UK (Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration) · checked 2026-10-11
- Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain or settled status · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-11
BN(O) visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| BN(O) visa | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| British citizenship by descent | – | – | – |
| UK Ancestry visa | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| CPLP residence Portugal | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Spanish nationality by descent and option Spain | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the BN(O) visa?
Savings of about GBP 2,000 (≈ $2,640). Funds to support yourself and your family for 6 months, in addition to housing costs; about this amount for a single adult, more for families (about GBP3,100 (≈ $4,100) for a couple with a child). A fee of GBP 206 (≈ $270). Application fee for 2 years and 6 months; GBP285 (≈ $380) for 5 years. A fee of GBP 2,587.5 (≈ $3,420). Healthcare surcharge per adult for 2 years and 6 months; GBP5,175 (≈ $6,840) for 5 years.
How long can I stay on the BN(O) visa?
Either 2 years and 6 months or 5 years; extendable as many times as wanted.
Can I work on the BN(O) visa?
Work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach) and study.
Can I bring my family on the BN(O) visa?
Partner, children under 18 and some dependent adult relatives can apply as dependants; each pays the fee and healthcare surcharge.
Does the BN(O) visa lead to permanent residence in United Kingdom?
Time on the BN(O) visa counts toward permanent residence in United Kingdom, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the BN(O) visa counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 6 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for BN(O) visa holders in United Kingdom?
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime: Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime
Tax relief
Details
- Who: UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
Taxed on
Claimed eligible foreign income and gains arising in the first four UK tax-resident years after at least ten years’ non-UK residence. Examples include foreign trade conducted wholly outside the UK, overseas property-business profits, non-UK dividends and foreign interest. Foreign employment earnings and specified employment income are outside FIG.
Who it applies to
- UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test.
- Within the first 4 years of UK tax residence after at least 10 years as non-UK resident.
- Claim made annually; unused years do not roll over; temporary years abroad are skipped.
- If the 4 years began before 6 April 2025, claims are available from 2025 to 2026 to the last year of the period.
Exclusions
- UK-source income stays taxable.
- Foreign earnings and foreign specific employment income are not eligible, though Overseas Workday Relief may apply.
- A claim loses Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax tax-free allowances, Marriage Allowance, Married Couples Allowance and Blind Person's Allowance.
Tax residence
Qualifying resident means UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test and within the first four years of UK residence after at least a 10-year period as non-UK tax resident.
Visas
Immigration permission does not qualify anyone; eligibility is tax residence only.
Other taxes
National Insurance, VAT, payroll, UK-source income, treaties and home-country taxes are outside the claim.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in United Kingdom
Nationality or ancestry visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- British National (Overseas) visa · GOV.UK (Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration) · checked 2026-10-11
- Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain or settled status · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.