British National (Overseas) passport
Encyclopedia
The British National passport (or BN(O) passport) is a British passport
for the holders of the nationality British National (Overseas)
. It is mainly held by residents of Hong Kong
from 1987.
) on the burgundy coloured
cover. The text United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is present above the coat of arms of the United Kingdom, and Passport below. The passport cover is identical to British Overseas Citizen
, British Protected Person
and British Subject
passports and resemble British Citizen passports (where the text European Union
is placed on top) closely.
The holder's page is identical to the identification page of British Citizen passports with the nationality indicated as British National (Overseas). The machine-readable zone starts with P>GBR indicating the UK as the issuing country and contains the code GBN for the BN(O) nationality. The passport note (in name of Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of state) is equal to that in British Citizen passports.
The passports contain a contactless chip storing digital data including holder's personal data .
, or register for the BN(O) nationality and obtain the BN(O) passport. After 1997, they could opt for the BN(O) passport (if they had registered) and/or the HKSAR passport
.
As registration was not popular in the early years (e.g. from 1 July 1987 to 21 December 1989, only 15% of the issued passports were BN(O) and the majority held British Dependent Territories citizen passports. In the early years after the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong, the British National (Overseas) passport was the most popular travel document amongst Hong Kong people. From April 1997 to the end of 2006 the British government had issued a total of 794,457 British National (Overseas) passports. The number of BN(O) passports issued reached a peak in 2001, when 170,000 were issued in a single year. However, the number issued since then has declined sharply (probably due to the popularity of the less-expensive HKSAR passport
), so that only 30,000 British National (Overseas) passports were issued in 2006. As of May 2007, around 2.6 million out of 3.4 million of British Nationals (Overseas) did not hold a valid British National (Overseas) passport. As the BN(O) nationality can not be passed to children, the number of nationals holding it and thus the number of passports issued is expected to decrease in future.
as in all British passport. When machine-readable
passports were introduced on 1 June 1990, the cover colour was changed to burgundy
.
anywhere, British Nationals (Overseas) are Hong Kong permanent residents and thus the following statement is printed in each British National (Overseas) passport:
British Nationals (Overseas) enjoy visa-free access for up to six months to enter the United Kingdom
and the following statement is also printed in each British National (Overseas) passport:
if the applicant is in the United Kingdom
. The applicant should bring along the following documents when submitting an application:http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/zh/passports/how-to-apply
and the Hong Kong dollar
. As of 7 February 2011, the passport fees are:http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/fees
In order to honour the contributions made by British nationals during the Second World War, all British nationals including British Nationals (Overseas) who were born on or before 2 September 1929 can renew their passport for free from 18 October 2004.
In the early years after the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong, the issue of fake British National (Overseas) passports once aroused international attention as they were being circulated and used by illegal immigrants from the mainland China who wished to gain access to the United Kingdom. Those illegal immigrants were easily discovered by the Hong Kong immigration officers since they failed to speak fluent Cantonese, which is the native (spoken) dialect in Hong Kong.
government, which considers most BN(O) passport holders as Chinese citizens
and travel between Hong Kong and Mainland China to be a domestic matter requiring a Home Return Permit
.
In other countries, the passport is accepted. Eligibility for visa-free travel might however be dependent on the presence of proof a right of abode
in the UK (which can be obtained under certain conditions).
on Taiwan
only fully recognizes British citizen
s but not British Nationals (Overseas) since they are mostly ethnic Chinese and technically nationals of the People's Republic of China. Holders of British National (Overseas) passports or Hong Kong Special Administration Region passport
s need an Exit & Entry Permit (landing visa), issued for a fee, specific for them to enter Taiwan
.
On 1st September 2010 onwards, the Ministry of the Interior, Republic of China (Taiwan)
issued a new policy to allow Hong Kong people holding British National (Overseas) passport or HKSAR passport to apply online and print the Exit & Entry Permit (landing visa) themselves. Holding this landing visa allow to stay in Taiwan for 30 days after landing. In this sense, it is almost a synonym of "visa exemption".
British passport
British passports may be issued to people holding any of the various forms of British nationality, and are used as evidence of the bearer's nationality and immigration status within the United Kingdom or the issuing state/territory.-Issuing:...
for the holders of the nationality British National (Overseas)
British National (Overseas)
British National , commonly known as BN, is one of the major classes of British nationality under British nationality law. Holders of this nationality are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British Citizens...
. It is mainly held by residents of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
from 1987.
Physical appearance
BN(O) passports are biometric and bear the "electronic travel document symbol" () on the burgundy colouredBurgundy (color)
Burgundy is a shade of purplish red associated with the Burgundy wine of the same name, which in turn is named after the Burgundy region of France. The color burgundy is similar to other shades of dark red such as maroon...
cover. The text United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is present above the coat of arms of the United Kingdom, and Passport below. The passport cover is identical to British Overseas Citizen
British Overseas citizen
In British nationality law, the status of British Overseas citizen is one of several categories of British national. A British Overseas citizen does not have an automatic right to live in the United Kingdom.-British Nationality Act 1981:...
, British Protected Person
British protected person
A British protected person is a member of class of certain persons under the British Nationality Act 1981 associated with former protected states, protectorates, mandated and trust territories under British control...
and British Subject
British subject
In British nationality law, the term British subject has at different times had different meanings. The current definition of the term British subject is contained in the British Nationality Act 1981.- Prior to 1949 :...
passports and resemble British Citizen passports (where the text European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
is placed on top) closely.
The holder's page is identical to the identification page of British Citizen passports with the nationality indicated as British National (Overseas). The machine-readable zone starts with P>GBR indicating the UK as the issuing country and contains the code GBN for the BN(O) nationality. The passport note (in name of Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of state) is equal to that in British Citizen passports.
The passports contain a contactless chip storing digital data including holder's personal data .
Popularity
Since the implementation of the BN(O) nationality 1987, most Hong Kong permanent residents have had the choice between two passports. Before the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, they could opt for the British Dependent Territories Citizen passportBritish passport
British passports may be issued to people holding any of the various forms of British nationality, and are used as evidence of the bearer's nationality and immigration status within the United Kingdom or the issuing state/territory.-Issuing:...
, or register for the BN(O) nationality and obtain the BN(O) passport. After 1997, they could opt for the BN(O) passport (if they had registered) and/or the HKSAR passport
HKSAR Passport
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport is issued to permanent residents of Hong Kong who are citizens of the People's Republic of China...
.
As registration was not popular in the early years (e.g. from 1 July 1987 to 21 December 1989, only 15% of the issued passports were BN(O) and the majority held British Dependent Territories citizen passports. In the early years after the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong, the British National (Overseas) passport was the most popular travel document amongst Hong Kong people. From April 1997 to the end of 2006 the British government had issued a total of 794,457 British National (Overseas) passports. The number of BN(O) passports issued reached a peak in 2001, when 170,000 were issued in a single year. However, the number issued since then has declined sharply (probably due to the popularity of the less-expensive HKSAR passport
HKSAR Passport
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport is issued to permanent residents of Hong Kong who are citizens of the People's Republic of China...
), so that only 30,000 British National (Overseas) passports were issued in 2006. As of May 2007, around 2.6 million out of 3.4 million of British Nationals (Overseas) did not hold a valid British National (Overseas) passport. As the BN(O) nationality can not be passed to children, the number of nationals holding it and thus the number of passports issued is expected to decrease in future.
Previous passports
The cover of British National (Overseas) passport was originally blackBlack
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
as in all British passport. When machine-readable
Machine-readable passport
A Machine Readable Passport is a travel document where the data on the identity page is encoded in optical character recognition format. Many countries began to issue machine readable travel documents in the 1980s....
passports were introduced on 1 June 1990, the cover colour was changed to burgundy
Burgundy (color)
Burgundy is a shade of purplish red associated with the Burgundy wine of the same name, which in turn is named after the Burgundy region of France. The color burgundy is similar to other shades of dark red such as maroon...
.
Endorsements
Although the status of British National (Overseas) is not granted right of abodeRight of abode
The right of abode is an individual's freedom from immigration control in a particular country. A person who has the right of abode in a country does not need permission from the government to enter the country and can live and work there without restriction....
anywhere, British Nationals (Overseas) are Hong Kong permanent residents and thus the following statement is printed in each British National (Overseas) passport:
British Nationals (Overseas) enjoy visa-free access for up to six months to enter the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the following statement is also printed in each British National (Overseas) passport:
Renewal and application
Since 1 July 1997, all applications for renewal of British National (Overseas) passports were dealt with by the British Consulate-General Hong Kong or the nearby British Embassy and British High Commission, or by the Identity and Passport ServiceIdentity and Passport Service
The Identity & Passport Service is an executive agency of the Home Office in the United Kingdom and became operational on 1 April 2006, succeeding the UK Passport Agency, after the passing of the Identity Cards Act 2006...
if the applicant is in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The applicant should bring along the following documents when submitting an application:http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/zh/passports/how-to-apply
- the completed application form,
- the required documentation,
- the applicant's Hong Kong Permanent Identity CardHong Kong Identity CardThe Hong Kong Identity Card is an official identity document issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card is a class of HKID issued to Hong Kong residents who have the right of abode in Hong Kong SAR. According to the Registration of Persons Ordinance...
, - two identical passport photographs taken within the last three months,
- the fee.
Fees
The adjustment of the application fee is subject to the change of the consular exchange rate between the pound sterlingPound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
and the Hong Kong dollar
Hong Kong dollar
The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
. As of 7 February 2011, the passport fees are:http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/fees
- Consular exchange rate: £1 = HK$12.70
- Payments: Visa, MastercardMasterCardMastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
, EPSElectronic Payment ServicesElectronic Payment Services , commonly known as EPS, is the largest electronic payment system in Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen starting from 1985. The service is provided by EPS Company Limited...
or cash
| 32-page adult (16 and over) passport: | HK$1,626 |
| 48-page adult 'jumbo' passport: | HK$1,963 |
| 32-page 5-year passport for a child under 16: | HK$1,036 |
In order to honour the contributions made by British nationals during the Second World War, all British nationals including British Nationals (Overseas) who were born on or before 2 September 1929 can renew their passport for free from 18 October 2004.
Criticism and misuse
In recent years, the British National (Overseas) passport has been criticized for being too expensive compared to the much less expensive Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport, which has also gained visa-free access in a large number of countries. As a result, the popularity of British National (Overseas) passport has sharply declined and the number of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders has substantially surpassed the number of British National (Overseas) passport holders.In the early years after the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong, the issue of fake British National (Overseas) passports once aroused international attention as they were being circulated and used by illegal immigrants from the mainland China who wished to gain access to the United Kingdom. Those illegal immigrants were easily discovered by the Hong Kong immigration officers since they failed to speak fluent Cantonese, which is the native (spoken) dialect in Hong Kong.
People's Republic of China
Neither the BN(O) mor the HKSAR passport is accepted for travel to Mainland China by ChinesePeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
government, which considers most BN(O) passport holders as Chinese citizens
Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China
The Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China regulates citizenship in the People's Republic of China . Such citizenship is obtained by birth when at least one parent is of Chinese nationality or by naturalization....
and travel between Hong Kong and Mainland China to be a domestic matter requiring a Home Return Permit
Home Return Permit
A ‘Home Return Permit’ , also referred to as a ‘Home Visit Permit’ or ‘China Back Home Pass’ , is the colloquial name for the national identity document officially known as the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents issued to PRC citizens who are permanent residents of Hong Kong...
.
In other countries, the passport is accepted. Eligibility for visa-free travel might however be dependent on the presence of proof a right of abode
Right of abode
The right of abode is an individual's freedom from immigration control in a particular country. A person who has the right of abode in a country does not need permission from the government to enter the country and can live and work there without restriction....
in the UK (which can be obtained under certain conditions).
Taiwan (Republic of China)
The Republic of ChinaRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
on Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
only fully recognizes British citizen
British nationality law
British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...
s but not British Nationals (Overseas) since they are mostly ethnic Chinese and technically nationals of the People's Republic of China. Holders of British National (Overseas) passports or Hong Kong Special Administration Region passport
HKSAR Passport
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport is issued to permanent residents of Hong Kong who are citizens of the People's Republic of China...
s need an Exit & Entry Permit (landing visa), issued for a fee, specific for them to enter Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
On 1st September 2010 onwards, the Ministry of the Interior, Republic of China (Taiwan)
Ministry of the Interior (Republic of China)
The Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China is a cabinet level executive yuan agency responsible for home affairs and security throughout the Free Area of the Republic of China...
issued a new policy to allow Hong Kong people holding British National (Overseas) passport or HKSAR passport to apply online and print the Exit & Entry Permit (landing visa) themselves. Holding this landing visa allow to stay in Taiwan for 30 days after landing. In this sense, it is almost a synonym of "visa exemption".
See also
- Visa requirements for British Nationals (Overseas)
- British National (Overseas)British National (Overseas)British National , commonly known as BN, is one of the major classes of British nationality under British nationality law. Holders of this nationality are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British Citizens...
- British nationality lawBritish nationality lawBritish nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...
- British passportBritish passportBritish passports may be issued to people holding any of the various forms of British nationality, and are used as evidence of the bearer's nationality and immigration status within the United Kingdom or the issuing state/territory.-Issuing:...
- HKSAR passportHKSAR PassportThe Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport is issued to permanent residents of Hong Kong who are citizens of the People's Republic of China...