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This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

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Closed Give the British Nationals (Overseas) of Hong Kong full British citizenship.

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People in Hong Kong are in a bad situation with their rights deteriorating and therefore the government should step up and grant people in Hong Kong British citizenship.

The situation in Hong Kong will only continue to get worse and therefore the UK government should step up and give holders of British Nationals (Overseas) status in Hong Kong British citizenship. Lord Goldsmith has said it is legal to give these people of Hong Kong British citizenship.

16,082 signatures

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100,000

Petition progress

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  • Related activity

    MPs to debate human rights in Hong Kong

    MPs will debate human rights in Hong Kong on Wednesday 9 June in Westminster Hall.

    This will be a general debate. General debates allow MPs to debate important issues, however they do not end in a vote nor can they change the law.

    The debate will start at 2.30pm and last for up to an hour and a half.

    Watch the debate: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/ea1ec5f5-28d0-4db7-800f-b853f76a4c37

    You'll be able to read a transcript of the debate a few hours after it happens: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-06-09

    Find out more about how Parliamentary debates work: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/debates/

  • Petition closed

  • Government responded to this petition

    The UK has a moral obligation to BN(O)s in the face of China’s actions. If proposed legislation is imposed, we will explore options to allow BN(O)s to apply to stay in the UK on a path to citizenship.

    Read the response in full

    The best solution for Hong Kong, and British National (Overseas) (BN(O)s), is full respect for the rights and freedoms set out in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

    However, if China proceeds to impose a national security law on Hong Kong, this would be in direct conflict with its obligations under that Declaration, a legally binding treaty registered with the United Nations.

    If China follows through with its proposed legislation, we will put in place new arrangements to allow BNOs to come to the UK, enabling them to live and apply to study and work for extendable periods of 12 months, thereby also providing a clear pathway to be granted British Citizenship.

    Further details will be announced in due course.

    Home Office

  • Government will respond to this petition

    This petition got more than 10,000 signatures meaning that government will respond to it.

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 5 September 2020.