If you hold a BNO visa, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) once you have lived in the UK for 5 years. You don't have to wait for the last day. The form can go in up to 28 days early. Each person pays £3,226 and a decision usually takes up to 6 months.
The 5-year route is not changing for BNO holders. The government's earned settlement paper says they "will therefore be able to settle after 5 years, as they can now". Use the calculator below to find your own date.
When can you apply for BNO ILR?
Enter your visa dates. We check which time counts and give you the first day you can apply.
Based on the GOV.UK BNO settlement page and the Home Office BNO guidance (version 15.0). This tool does not check your trips abroad. Checked 16 October 2026.
Who can apply for ILR on the BNO route
You need to be in the UK on a BNO visa when you apply. On top of that, GOV.UK lists these main points:
- You have lived in the UK for 5 years in a row.
- You were not outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12 month period.
- If you are 18 to 64, you have B1 English in speaking and listening (or a degree taught in English) and you passed the Life in the UK test. Some people are exempt.
- You pass the usual suitability checks.
GOV.UK lists no salary or income test for BNO settlement. That is a big difference from the Skilled Worker route, where your pay is checked again at ILR. See our ILR salary page if you are comparing the two.
Which visa time counts towards your 5 years
Time on some other visas can be added to your BNO time. The rule is that your last visa must be the BNO visa. Here is what GOV.UK says:
| Visa or status | Counts? |
|---|---|
| BNO visa | Yes |
| Skilled Worker (or Tier 2 General) | Yes |
| Family visa | Yes |
| Global Talent (or Tier 1 Exceptional Talent) | Yes |
| Entrepreneur, Investor, Minister of Religion, Sportsperson | Yes |
| Representative of an Overseas Business, UK Ancestry | Yes |
| Student visa (or Tier 4) | No |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | No |
| Leave outside the rules given at the border | No |
Some BNO holders and their families were first given leave outside the rules at the border, then switched to the BNO visa. That early time is not counted. The clock starts with the BNO visa itself.
The 180 day rule for trips abroad
For every 12 month period inside your 5 years, you must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK. The Home Office looks at any 12 months, not just calendar years. So a long trip that crosses two years can still break the rule.
One thing people miss: if you got your visa in Hong Kong and flew in later, the days between the visa grant and your arrival count as days outside the UK. Our 180-day absence calculator checks every rolling 12 month window for you.
English and the Life in the UK test
Applicants aged 18 to 64 usually need English at level B1 in speaking and listening. A degree taught or researched in English also works. They also need to pass the Life in the UK test, which costs £50. People aged 65 or over, and children under 18, don't need either.
From 26 March 2027 the English level for settlement rises to B2 on 14 routes, such as Skilled Worker and Global Talent. The list in HC 1691 does not include the BNO appendix. For now, B1 is still the BNO standard. We will update this page if that changes.
Family members: partners, adult children and kids
Every person in the family makes their own application and pays their own fee. The rules are kinder than on most routes:
- Partners, children aged 18 or over and adult dependent relatives can apply with you or on their own. They don't have to apply on the same day, and they don't need to prove the relationship again.
- Adult children born on or after 1 July 1979 can now use the BNO route. This came in on 8 April 2026 under HC 1691.
- Children under 18 apply in a linked application. They normally apply with both parents, unless a parent is already settled or British, has died, or has sole responsibility.
The big news for families is from 8 October 2026. Under HC 584, a child on the BNO route no longer needs 5 years of residence. A baby who joined last year can now settle on the same day as mum and dad. A child who turns 18 before applying should apply as a BNO adult child instead.
Fee and how long it takes
The ILR fee is £3,226 per person, and children pay the same. A family of four pays £12,904 in fees, before any Life in the UK tests. Use our ILR cost calculator to add tests and faster service options.
A decision usually takes up to 6 months. GOV.UK says you may be able to pay for a faster decision. While you wait, do not leave the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. If you do, your application is withdrawn.
How to apply
- Wait until you are within 28 days of your 5 years.
- Fill in the online form and pick the "Hong Kong British National (Overseas)" category.
- Prove your identity with the UK Immigration: ID Check app. A BNO or HKSAR passport can be scanned up to 5 years after it expired. If the app won't work for you, book a UKVCAS appointment.
- Pay the fee and upload your documents. Our documents checklist helps here.
- Once approved, you get an eVisa in your UKVI account.
If you are refused, your BNO visa may be extended by 30 months instead, as long as you meet those rules. You would then pay the health surcharge.
BNO ILR changes in 2026 and 2027
- 8 April 2026. Adult children born on or after 1 July 1979 can use the route. ILR fee goes from £3,029 to £3,226.
- 8 October 2026. Children under 18 can settle with their parents without 5 years of residence.
- 26 March 2027. B2 English for settlement starts on 14 routes. BNO is not on the list.
- Earned settlement. The 10-year plan for other routes does not apply here. BNO stays at 5 years. Read what is confirmed so far.
BNO ILR FAQs
Does the BNO visa lead to ILR?
Yes. After 5 years living in the UK on the BNO route you can apply for indefinite leave to remain. You can send your form up to 28 days before the 5 years are up.
Will BNO holders have to wait 10 years under the new rules?
No. The government's earned settlement paper says BNO holders will still be able to settle after 5 years, as they can now, and that this part is not up for consultation. The normal mandatory requirements still apply.
Does time on a Student or Youth Mobility visa count?
No. GOV.UK says time on visas that cannot lead to settlement, like the Student visa and the Youth Mobility Scheme, does not count. Leave outside the rules given at the border does not count either.
Can my child get ILR before living here for 5 years?
Yes, from 8 October 2026. A child under 18 on the BNO route no longer needs 5 years of residence. They can settle at the same time as their parents, as long as the other rules are met.
Do I need B2 English from March 2027?
The March 2027 change to B2 English lists 14 parts of the Immigration Rules, and the BNO appendix is not one of them. The current BNO guidance asks for B1 speaking and listening for applicants aged 18 to 64. Check GOV.UK again before you apply.
How much does BNO ILR cost?
The fee is £3,226 for each person, children included. Adults aged 18 to 64 usually also need the Life in the UK test, which costs £50.
Want to check another route? Try the main ILR date calculator or see the latest ILR rule changes.