Travelling with BNO passport

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  1. #1

    Travelling with BNO passport

    as a BNO passport holder, are we considered UK nationals? because im planning to visit Italy, Greece, Turkey and Egypt (mediterrenean cruise). Its visa-free and visa upon entry for UK passports but i don't know if includes BNO passports.


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    With BNO passport you can get in to Italy and Greece visa free but not Turkey and Egypt.

    Source: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?...=1123950039320

    If you can upgrade to the HKSAR passport you can go to: Turkey, Egypt, Italy and Greece visa free.

    Source:
    http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immig...freeaccess.htm


  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by emailme_marilyn:
    as a BNO passport holder, are we considered UK nationals? because im planning to visit Italy, Greece, Turkey and Egypt (mediterrenean cruise). Its visa-free and visa upon entry for UK passports but i don't know if includes BNO passports.
    Technically yes, BNO is a class of British nationality.

    However the status is next to meaningless. Immigration authorities of various countries - and even British and Chinese consulates abroad - appear to be confused or ill-informed about what a BNO is.

    There have been cases of BNO passport holders being detained because immigration control had not heard of it and thought they were false British passports (which in a sense they are! ) and the local British Consulate had wrongly 'verified' them as such. Chinese consulates have also refused to provide assistance to BNO holders, mistakenly believing BN(O)s to be British Citizens and not Chinese nationals.

    The official positions are:

    The Chinese government does not recognize the British nationality status of BN(O) for Hong Kong Chinese; they regard it as merely a travel document facility. As such, BNO passport holders (who are of Chinese descent) are Chinese citizens and 1) are not entitled to British diplomatic protection within Chinese territory and 2) are entitled to Chinese consular assistance abroad.
    The UK Foreign Office says BNO passport holders are entitled to the highest levels of British consular assistance in third countries, and that they are working hard to remind their consular missions about this.

    From personal anecdotal knowledge, there appears still to be widespread confusion and ignorance among both British and Chinese consulates with regard to BNO passport holders. No one respects it.

    If you are a BNO passport holder of Chinese descent, I would strongly encourage you to get a HKSAR passport and travel on that instead. It is also a lot cheaper, and has superior visa-free travel entitlement as HKChigger points out. (I would also advise BNOs to apply for the HKSAR passport in Hong Kong; overseas applications via Chinese embassies or consulates may meet with obstruction from unhelpful, ill-informed staff.)
    Last edited by Elfin safety; 19-10-2007 at 08:12 PM.

  4. #4

    yes i agree. HK SAR passport is better because not many embassy/consulates are aware what BNO is.
    Unfortunately, Im not eligible to get a HK SAR passport. BNO is the only passport I hold and I hope it won't give me headache when I cruise the mediterenean in APril.


  5. #5

    Join Date
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    hello!

    According to my understanding if you are not a chinese national and you ONLY hold BNO then you can apply to change your BNO into FULL British CITIZEN passport.


    However, if your ethnic back ground is Philipino then you will NOT be able to secure Full British citizenship unless you can obtain a letter from Phillipine authorities that you are NOT a Phillipine Citizen.

    Just to remind you that sometimes a person can be a national of a coutnry even he never applied or held a passport of that country.


  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by shafinbutt:
    According to my understanding if you are not a chinese national and you ONLY hold BNO then you can apply to change your BNO into FULL British CITIZEN passport.


    However, if your ethnic back ground is Philipino then you will NOT be able to secure Full British citizenship unless you can obtain a letter from Phillipine authorities that you are NOT a Phillipine Citizen.

    Just to remind you that sometimes a person can be a national of a coutnry even he never applied or held a passport of that country.
    Those who were in Hong Kong before 4th February 1997 and he/she must hold the B.N.O passport at the time being and age must 22 (Not another nationality exclude the British subject) also ordinary resident in Hong Kong (This rule not apply for chinese nationals). What is the B.N.O? Even I am holding the B.N.O last 15 years. 20% Nationality of U.K or may be less.
    Last edited by asiflove4u; 25-05-2009 at 11:21 PM.

  7. #7

    Smile

    As a long time forum member of BritishHongKong, an organisation which strives for full UK and EU citizenship for all British Nationals (Overseas), I would like to point out the following:-

    1) I do not agree that changing the BNO to an HKSAR passport is an upgrade.

    2) About the visa-free access no., the official figures provided by the British Consulate General and the HKSAR Immigration Dept cannot be directly compared. According to the IATA (International Air Transport Association) database, in fact, many more countries provide visa-free access to BN(O) passport but the countries do not appear on the BCG-HK visa-free list. Please take a look on the Wikipedia article on UK passports (including BCs and BNOs)

    British passport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    From the Wikipedia website above, even the country is not on the BCG-HK visa access list, there are other reliable sources (like IATA database, website of the immigration authority) that indicate BNO enjoy visa-free access.

    Kay Lam, a current commentator on Apple Daily, also questions the way that BCG-HK prepares its visa-free access list.But he also thinks that HKSAR Govt overstates the no. of visa-free access countries of the HKSAR passport. (article in Chinese)

    每日一膠.荒謬的香港: 劉江華草泥馬 BNO 論

    3) The People's Republic of China has very serious human rights violations since 1949. China has no freedom, nor is it democratic. It massacred its powerless university students in 1989...I do not understand why obtaining the passport of such a regime is an "upgrade".

    4) BritishHongKong has been working very hard in striving for full UK and EU citizenship for all BN(O) holders. I encourage you guys to visit its website to see what the human rights organisation has been doing for BN(O) holders.

    BritishHongKong Official Site

    Last edited by sam_fan_gbn; 28-05-2009 at 02:27 PM.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    Wow - a BNO costs £124 in Hong Kong (HK British Consulate)

    It's £72 in the UK. (UK IPS)

    A HKSAR passport costs HK$370 or US$48 (approx £30).

    Is it any wonder why the BNO has plummeted in popularity among HK residents?


  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by celloboy:
    Wow - a BNO costs £124 in Hong Kong (HK British Consulate)

    It's £72 in the UK. (UK IPS)

    A HKSAR passport costs HK$370 or US$48 (approx £30).

    Is it any wonder why the BNO has plummeted in popularity among HK residents?
    It is the main reason that the BNO passport has not been popular among the majority of HK residents.

    Visa-free access is not a major problem (since 2007) since the countries that require a visa for BNO holders (but grant HKSAR pp visa-free) are not commonly visited by Hong Kong people.

    However, I personally think that many of them may not be making an informed choice. Many HK ppl only consider price and convenience, but they ignore the politics.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    2
    Quote Originally Posted by sam_fan_gbn:

    Visa-free access is not a major problem (since 2007) since the countries that require a visa for BNO holders (but grant HKSAR pp visa-free) are not commonly visited by Hong Kong people.
    is it really the case? as far as i know BNO passport holders require a Schengen visa to visit most countries in Western Europe - which happen to be rather popular amongst hkers...

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