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Hello,

I'm currently holding a Hong Kong passport, i do have a BNO passport when i was like a baby? It expires 15 years ago, i got my first BNO around 1997. I have been studying in the UK for around 5 years now. Just came across some articles saying if you have been staying in the UK for about 5 years, you can switch your BNO to BC. But my question is, i haven't renewed my passport after it expired around 2000s, i.e. i haven't renewed my BNO to adult BNO. Am i still eligible to apply a change of status from BNO to BC even though the 5 years of my stay in England i have been holding a HK passport? (for each year i only leave the country for around a month or maximum 1.5 months)

Also, i'm actually intending to renew my BNO children passport to my first adult passport (to try to secure a tier 5 visa by using a BNO as my student visa is expiring in 5 months time), online it says it takes 6 weeks for the whole renewal process, but i'm off to the US on the 19th June. Anyone has any experience where they manage to get their passport back within 3 weeks? Should i apply as 'renewal' or my 'first passport' since my passport expired like at least 13 years ago.

You may not be eligible to register for British citizenship.

Essentially, BNOs need to meet the same requirements as a non-EEA citizen when it comes to becoming a British citizen; five years residence in the UK, with at least one year of ILR at the end of that period. If you have only been a student in the UK, you will likely not be eligible for ILR.

See Pages 4-6 of Guide B(OTA).

Alternatively, BNOs can register as British citizens if they have never held any other citizenship. People of Chinese ethnicity from Hong Kong are automatically Chinese citizens and hence can not be registered as British citizens under that provision.

Also see similar case.

Thank you so much for replying. I wonder do you know how long does it take for my passport to return back to me on average? I'm gonna send my passports out tmr and probably gonna use first class or next day track. But i'm actually going on holiday on the 19th June. Online says 6 weeks, so i'm quite worried, but some people say 10 days to 3 weeks. Especially in my case my passport expired 15 years ago, would that take even longer?

Also, i got my private driving instructor to act as my countersignatory, do you think that would be fine? As it's not listed under the list of people that can be countersignatory on the gov.uk website.

secret.simon wrote:You may not be eligible to register for British citizenship.

Essentially, BNOs need to meet the same requirements as a non-EEA citizen when it comes to becoming a British citizen; five years residence in the UK, with at least one year of ILR at the end of that period. If you have only been a student in the UK, you will likely not be eligible for ILR.

See Pages 4-6 of Guide B(OTA).

Alternatively, BNOs can register as British citizens if they have never held any other citizenship. People of Chinese ethnicity from Hong Kong are automatically Chinese citizens and hence can not be registered as British citizens under that provision.

Also see similar case.