The UK has allowed BNO (British National Overseas Passport) holders and their families to apply online for visas to the UK since Sunday (January 31), in preparation for immigration and naturalization. China announced that it no longer recognizes the so-called BNO passport as a travel document and proof of identity, and the Hong Kong government later said it would “fully cooperate” with the country as a countermeasure, announcing that the BNO can no longer be used to enter and leave Hong Kong.
British Prime Minister Johnson’s spokesman then responded, saying that any holder of BNO status and their families, even if it is the use of documents other than BNO, can also enter the United Kingdom.
And both the United States and Canada have spoken out one after another, hitting the Chinese side and the Hong Kong government, saying that Hong Kong people can still use BNO to enter the United States and Canada.
A spokesman for the U.S. Department of State said that Beijing and the Hong Kong government’s decision not to recognize the BNO has no impact on the United States, the BNO can still be used to apply for local visas and entry into the United States. The spokesperson also criticized China for infringing on Hong Kong’s freedom and democracy and violating China’s commitments and international obligations made at the Time of the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong.
The Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong has made it clear that the BNO is accepted as a document for travel to Canada.
As Hong Kong people can still enter and exit Hong Kong with their SAR passports and Hong Kong permanent resident ID cards, travelers generally believe that the impact is not significant.
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