With Hong Kong residents with BNO status able to apply for a new British visa from January 31st, will this correlate with an increase in demand for UK homes?

Summary:

• From 5pm local time on Sunday 31^st January, Hong Kong citizens with British National Overseas (BNO) status can apply online for the new UK visa scheme
• The new visa will allow people to reside in the UK and, after five years, be able to apply for permanent settled status
• With UK property already one of the most popular overseas investments for Hong Kong nationals, is there likely to be an increased focus on British property for permanent residency in 2021 and beyond?

Following its announcement in 2020, applications for the new British National Overseas (BNO) visas have now opened online.

From 31^st January, any of the near three million BNO passport holders in Hong Kong, in addition to their immediate dependents, can apply for the visa from the UK Home Office.

The new arrangements will also allow for a staggered relocation. One parent will be able to remain in Hong Kong to continue working, while the other can move with their dependents to the UK.

You can read more about the new BNO visas here.

Naturally, anyone moving to the UK will need a place to live. And, as one of Hong Kong’s most popular overseas investments, will this now lead to increased in UK property in 2021 and in the coming years?

UK property has long been renowned for its strength and resilience, particularly during times of wider uncertainty. In 2020, amidst the backdrop of the global pandemic and Brexit negotiations, average property price growth in the UK hit a new six-year high.

For Hong Kong residents in particular, the UK has also been a popular investment destination if their children are studying at a UK university, providing a place for them to live.

London is traditionally a hotspot for Hong Kong-based investment, but in recent years the strength of the property markets in regional cities – places such as Manchester and Birmingham – has also prompted increased focus in these sectors, too.