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+44 (0) 203 178 2048

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Need Our Expert Help? Call us +44 (0) 203 178 2048

The World’s Most Trusted UK Visa Consultancy

With over 12 years’ experience and more than 15,000 UK Visa approvals secured worldwide, we have steadily built First Migration’s reputation as one of the most trusted immigration consultancies in the world. As you can see from our Trustpilot reviews, we have an industry-leading reputation for securing our clients’ UK Visa approvals, while always providing a five-star service.

Visa Services

Our British National Overseas (BNO) Visa services are tailored to your needs, so you can choose the price you want to pay, for the type of service you want.

For access to our knowledge & experience, if you have any doubts or questions about your application, we offer our Consultation Service with a UK Visa Expert. If you want to be cost-effective, and secure your UK Visa approval by yourself, consider our Expert Checking Service so we can be your approval insurance policy. We’ll even provide our Expert Document List & bespoke templates to save you time for an extra fee.

If you want a stress-free approval though, you are looking for our Full Consultancy Service. With this service, you work with a dedicated UK Visa Expert to guide you through the entire process, with a no-win, no-fee guarantee. Whichever service you choose with First Migration, expect a professional 5-Star service.

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Zoom Webcam Consultation

Gain access to one of our UK Visa Experts through a Zoom/Skype call from anywhere in the world. All your questions will be answered, and we will tell you everything you need to know about your UK Visa application.

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Expert Checking Service

Are you preparing your own UK Visa application and want it thoroughly checked by a UK Visa expert? Then consider our Expert Checking Service to ensure your application will be successful – we will recommend all changes/improvements needed.

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Full Consultancy Service

The easiest and most stress-free way of securing your UK British National Overseas (BNO) Visa approval. You will work with your own dedicated UK Visa Expert to guide through the entire process from start to finish.

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Priority Consultancy Service

This service is best for our Full Consultancy Service clients who want the fastest preparation and submission time possible. We will prepare and submit your application within 48 working hours of receiving the supporting documents requested.

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Welcome to First Migration’s British National Overseas Visa Information Centre

We have dedicated the past decade to helping our clients secure their UK Visa approvals. Using the knowledge and experience we have obtained during this time, we have created this a British National Overseas Visa Information Centre to provide you with the information you need to get started. 

We recommend you bookmark this page, after reading through the information below, to find this information page again. Should you want our expert assistance or guidance at any time, call us to speak to one of our BNO Visa Experts and have your case assessed for free. Alternatively, request a call-back at the top of this page, and have one of our experts call you instead. 

Get a sense of the five-star service and results we have provided to many of our clients by checking our reviews on uk.Trustpilot.com. Should you choose First Migration to act as your legal representative, rest assured we will provide a professional service that lives up to our online reputation, and make it as simple and stress-free for you as possible. 

Take the time to read through the information below as we address the most frequently asked questions. We hope to demonstrate our expertise in this area, even before having a conversation with you. We look forward to helping you with the process of securing a British National Overseas Visa approval.

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What is a British National Overseas Visa? 

A British National Overseas Visa, also known as a BNO Visa, allows a British National (overseas) from Hong Kong to apply for a residence visa to live in the UK with their family members. You can apply for a BNO Visa that is valid for either 2.5 years or 5 years. The visa allows you and your family to live, work and study in the UK, with a clear 6-year path to British citizenship.

After 5 years of living continuously in the UK on a BNO Visa, you can apply for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Visa. Once you have secured your ILR Visa, you can permanently live in the UK with no time limit on your visa and can apply to become a British citizen.

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What are the eligibility requirements to qualify for a British National Overseas Visa?

If you want to secure a British National Overseas Visa to live in the UK with your family members, you can apply if you are: 

  • A British National (overseas) – which is someone who was a British Overseas Territories citizen by connection with Hong Kong and was able to register as a British national (overseas) before 1st July 1997.
  • Over 18 years old.
  • Your permanent home must be either in Hong Kong (if you are applying outside the UK) or in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or Hong Kong (if you are applying from within the UK).
  • You must show you have sufficient funds/income to support yourself and any dependents financially without the need for the UK government to assist you.
  • Your family members can apply with you (if they are eligible – see below) only if they apply at the same time as you. Your family members CANNOT apply for their dependent visas AFTER you get the decision on your visa application!
  • If you are applying for the BNO Visa at the VFS centre in Hong Kong, you will need to attend an approved clinic to obtain a TB certificate to prove you are free from Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Should you want your family members to join you in the UK as dependents on your BNO Visa, they must apply at the same time as you and be your:

  • husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried partner.
  • child or grandchild under 18.
  • child 18 or older, born on or after 1st July 1997 (and their partner or child under 18).
  • parent, grandparent, brother, sister, son, or daughter (18 or older) if they live with you and are very dependent on you for their care.
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How much does a British National Overseas Visa application cost?

The cost for a British National Overseas Visa depends on the length of the visa as you can apply for visas valid for either 2.5 years or 5 years.

The current government fees for a BNO Visa valid for 2.5 years are as follows:

  • The Home Office Spouse Visa Government fee*= £180 per applicant.
  • The NHS Surcharge = £1,560 per adult applicant and £1,175 per child applicant (under 18 years of age).
  • The Biometric Fee = £19.20 per applicant. 
  • The Biometric appointment fee if applying in the UK. This fee ranges from £65 to £260 per applicant for an appointment at the Premium Service Centre in Central London. Note that the most typical fee paid for an average appointment across the UK is about £100 per applicant.

The current government fees for a BNO Visa valid for 5 years are as follows:

  • The Home Office Spouse Visa Government fee*= £250 per applicant.
  • The NHS Surcharge = £1,560 per adult applicant and £1,175 per child applicant (under 18 years of age).
  • The Biometric Fee = £19.20 per applicant. 
  • The Biometric appointment fee if applying in the UK. This fee ranges from £65 to £260 per applicant for an appointment at the Premium Service Centre in Central London. Note that the most typical fee paid for an average appointment across the UK is about £100 per applicant.
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The money you need to show you have to support yourself and your family

You will need to show that you either:

  • Have enough money to pay for your housing and to support you and your family for 6 months.
  • Will earn enough money to pay for your housing costs and to support you and your family for 6 months.

This can include:

  • Your savings and income, as well as your family member’s income and savings.
  • An offer of help from family and friends.

Note that you do NOT need to do this if you have already been living in the UK for 12 months when you apply for the BNO Visa.

Besides money for housing costs, you will need to show the amount as someone would receive from the British government in Income Support. How much you need depends on how many family members are applying with you. For example:

  • £2,000 for a single adult
  • £3,100 for a couple with a child
  • £4,600 for a couple with 3 children
  • £9,200 for a couple, 2 parents and 2 adult children

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