Marco 72 wrote:What are the main differences between a British Overseas Citizen and a British National (Overseas), when it comes for example to things like being able to work/study in the UK, international travel and access to British consular protection?
Work/study in the UK : no difference.
British consular protection : no difference.
Voting rights in UK : No difference (both are "Commonwealth citizens").
Access to Working Holiday Visa : No difference
Visa free tourist entry to UK : No difference.
Retention of ILR : I'm open to correction, but BOCs do not lose ILR after 2 years outside the UK, while BNOs may still do.
Visa free travel : Better with a BNO passport.
Transmissability : No real difference. BNO cannot be transmitted although in some circumstances a stateless child of a BNO may be a BOC. BOC cannot be transmitted except in some very limited circumstances.
Registration as a British citizen after UK residence : No difference. Both BNO and BOC are covered by the provisions of section 4 of the 1981 Act.
Registration as a British citizen if no other nationality : BOCs are covered by section 4B of the 1981 Act, BNOs are not. The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 covers BNOs and BOCs formerly connected with Hong Kong. In general, section 4B of the 1981 Act is more flexible than the 1997 Act, although this is not always the case.
