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Visas: British National (Overseas)

Asked by James NaishLabourForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 23 June 2025UIN 59844

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential merits of extending British National (Overseas) nationality status to BN(O) visa holders' dependents residing in the United Kingdom.

Answered by Catherine West

Those with BN(O) status and their eligible family members can come to the UK to live, study and work in virtually any capacity, on a pathway to citizenship. The UK committed in the Joint Declaration that no person would acquire British Dependent Territories citizen (BDTC) status (the precursor to BN(O) status) on or after 1 July 1997. Therefore, there are no plans to change this mechanism.

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