BN(O) Visa ILR: The 5-Year Hong Kong Settlement Route

Researched and maintained by the ILR Calculator UK editorial team · Reviewed against Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas) and Appendix Continuous Residence in force on 24 June 2026 · General information about UK settlement, not regulated immigration advice. For advice on your own case, use an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) or a solicitor.

British National (Overseas) visa holders can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 continuous years in the UK, then British citizenship one year later — the “5+1” pathway. There is no salary or income requirement: you need 5 years’ continuous residence within the 180-day absence rule, the Life in the UK test, and English at CEFR B1. Crucially, the Government has confirmed the BN(O) route keeps its 5-year timeline despite the wider move towards a 10-year settlement baseline.

The BN(O) route to ILR: the 5+1 pathway

The British National (Overseas) visa was introduced in January 2021 for Hong Kong BN(O) status holders and their families. It leads to settlement on a “5+1” basis: 5 years of continuous residence to reach ILR, then a further year holding ILR before you can apply for British citizenship. The route sits in Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas), and the settlement requirements cross-refer to Appendix Continuous Residence and the knowledge-of-language-and-life rules. The first arrivals from early 2021 began reaching the 5-year mark in 2026, and the number settling is rising each quarter. Check your own date with the eligibility calculator.

Is BN(O) safe from the 10-year settlement reform?

This is the question worrying many BN(O) families, because the 2025 White Paper proposed extending the standard qualifying period to 10 years for most routes. The reassuring answer is that the BN(O) route has been specifically protected.

What counts towards the 5 years

You do not have to spend all 5 years on the BN(O) visa itself. You can combine earlier time on other settlement routes — as long as your most recent visa is a BN(O) visa.

Source: GOV.UK — BN(O) visa: settle in the UK. Only time on routes that themselves lead to settlement counts, and your final period of leave must be on the BN(O) route.

The 180-day absence rule

BN(O) continuous residence is assessed under Appendix Continuous Residence: you must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period during the 5 years. Each 12-month window is checked separately, so a single long trip can break continuity even if your total time abroad looks modest across the 5 years. If you have been absent for a permitted reason — such as a pandemic, a serious family illness or a humanitarian crisis — the absence may be disregarded with evidence. Test your travel with the absence calculator, and if a long absence has put settlement out of reach this cycle, you can usually extend the BN(O) visa and apply later.

BN(O) ILR requirements at a glance

The BN(O) settlement requirements are relatively light compared with the work and family routes — there is no income test and no sponsor.

Source: GOV.UK — BN(O): settle in the UK and visa fees, June 2026. You must also meet the Part 9 suitability rules.

Dependants and the 2026 adult-child expansion

Family members who held BN(O) dependant visas can settle too. Partners, children and adult dependent relatives can apply with the main applicant or separately, and adult dependants do not need to prove their relationship again. Children under 18 each need their own application, linked to a parent’s. From 9 February 2026, the route was widened so that certain adult children of BN(O) status holders who were under 18 on 1 July 1997 can apply independently of their parents, bringing their own partners and children. This opened settlement planning to a significantly wider group of Hong Kong families.

Fees and how to apply

You apply online using the SET(O) form, selecting the BN(O) category, and enrol your biometrics. The fee is £3,226 per person from 8 April 2026, with no Immigration Health Surcharge on settlement. Apply up to 28 days before completing your 5 years — find that date with the 28-day calculator. Do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while the application is pending, or it will be withdrawn. A successful application is recorded as an eVisa.