Visa requirements for British Nationals (Overseas) are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states and territories placed on

British National (Overseas) passport The British National (Overseas) passport, commonly referred to as the BN(O) passport, is a British passport for persons with British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) citizenship. BN(O) citizenship was created in 1987 after the enactment of Hong Kong ...

holders. Several million people, the vast majority with a Hong Kong connection, hold this passport. Holders of British National (Overseas) citizenship are

British national A British national, or United Kingdom national, is a person who possesses a type of British nationality. This includes anyone who is a: * British citizen * British Overseas Territories citizen * British Overseas citizen * British subject (as defi ...

s and

Commonwealth citizen A Commonwealth citizen is a citizen or qualified national of a Commonwealth of Nations member state. Most member countries do not treat citizens of other Commonwealth states any differently from foreign nationals, but some grant limited citizen ...

s, but not

British citizen British nationality law prescribes the conditions under which a person is recognised as being a national of the United Kingdom. The six different classes of British nationality each have varying degrees of civil and political rights, due to the ...

s. This nationality, by itself, does not grant the

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 withou ...

anywhere in the world, including the United Kingdom or Hong Kong, but all BN(O)s possess either right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong due to holding right of abode before 1997. BN(O)s are subject to British immigration controls and do not have the automatic right to live or work in the United Kingdom. From January 2021, they are eligible to apply for limited leave to remain to work or study in the UK with a path to citizenship, as a consequence of the Chinese national security law imposed on Hong Kong, which the UK considers a violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration signed in 1984. The British National (Overseas) status was created in 1985 in anticipation of the

transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong Transfer may refer to: Arts and media * ''Transfer'' (2010 film), a German science-fiction movie directed by Damir Lukacevic and starring Zana Marjanović * ''Transfer'' (1966 film), a short film * ''Transfer'' (journal), in management studies ...

on 1 July 1997. This nationality was "tailor-made" for British Hong Kong residents with

British Dependent Territories Citizen A British Overseas Territories citizen (BOTC), formerly called British Dependent Territories citizen (BDTC), is a member of a class of British nationality granted to people connected with one or more of the British Overseas Territories (previo ...

(BDTC) status by virtue of their connection with Hong Kong; it allowed the people of British Hong Kong to retain a relationship with the United Kingdom after the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong to China. BN(O)s enjoy consular protection as British nationals would when travelling outside Hong Kong. Since most BN(O)s also hold Chinese nationality, they do not enjoy consular protection in China, Hong Kong and Macau, owing to the master nationality rule. From 1 July 1987 to 30 June 1997, nearly 3.4 million of British Dependent Territories Citizens in Hong Kong successfully registered as a British National (Overseas).
Lords Hansard
/ref> All BDTCs relate only to Hong Kong lost their BDTC status on 1 July 1997, and any BDTC who did not register as a BN(O) and without other nationality automatically acquired British Overseas Citizenship. Visa requirements for other classes of

British nationals British nationality law prescribes the conditions under which a person is recognised as being a national of the United Kingdom. The six different classes of British nationality each have varying degrees of civil and political rights, due to the ...

such as

British citizens British nationality law prescribes the conditions under which a person is recognised as being a national of the United Kingdom. The six different classes of British nationality each have varying degrees of civil and political rights, due to the ...

, British Overseas Citizens,

British Overseas Territories Citizen A British Overseas Territories citizen (BOTC), formerly called British Dependent Territories citizen (BDTC), is a member of a class of British nationality granted to people connected with one or more of the British Overseas Territories (prev ...

s, British Protected Persons or British Subjects are different. Starting from 31 January 2021, China and the Hong Kong SAR governments no longer recognize the British National (Overseas) passport as a valid travel document.

Visa requirements map

Visa requirements

This table documents the visa requirements, and not

travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries and regions imposed quarantines, entry bans, or other travel restrictions for citizens of or recent travelers to the most affected areas. Some countries and regions imposed global restrictions th ...

British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories

Territories and disputed areas

Non-visa restrictions

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Wuhan coronavirus outbreak associated travel restrictions

Due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, several countries have imposed temporary travel restrictions on British nationals or persons arriving from the United Kingdom.CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN CHINA (PEOPLE'S REP.) - UPDATE
International Air Transport Association Travel Centre * — admission refused, except spouses and children of Filipino nationals. * — visitors who have been in, transited through, or are nationals of several designated "high-risk countries" (including the United Kingdom) are not allowed to enter. * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain (excluding British Citizens resident in Northern Ireland) * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain * — admission refused temporarily due to new COVID strain

Right to consular protection

Diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom

British Nationals (Overseas) have the right to consular protection from British diplomatic missions except in China,

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

, and

Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...

. When in a country where there is no British embassy, British Nationals (Overseas) may get help from the embassy of any other commonwealth country present in that country. There are also informal arrangements with some other countries, including New Zealand and Australia, to help British nationals in some countries.

Foreign travel statistics

References and notes

;References ;Notes {{Visa Requirements Foreign relations of the United Kingdom

British Nationals (Overseas) British National (Overseas), abbreviated BN(O), is a class of British nationality associated with the former colony of Hong Kong. The status was acquired through voluntary registration by individuals with a connection to the territory who ha ...