Since I was born in HK, I carry a BNO passport. It does have it's advantages but some people are telling me to throw it away! What do you guys think? Is it an advantage to have one or no?

Since I was born in HK, I carry a BNO passport. It does have it's advantages but some people are telling me to throw it away! What do you guys think? Is it an advantage to have one or no?

I would STRONGLY recommend you TO THROW THE BNO AWAY and apply the HKSAR passport!!! There're LESS visa-free contries for BNO (around 100, where HKSAR passport is 135) and the admission fee is TOOOOOOOOOO expensive (around HK$1000 for 32 pages, depends on the currency of the British Pound, where HKSAR passport is ONLY $320!)!!! :eek2:

You may check it on Immigration Dept (http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/topical_4.htm) and HK's British Consulate (http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1123950039320). :|

I would STRONGLY recommend you TO THROW THE BNO AWAY and apply the HKSAR passport!!! There're LESS visa-free contries for BNO (around 100, where HKSAR passport is 135) and the admission fee is TOOOOOOOOOO expensive (around HK$1000 for 32 pages, depends on the currency of the British Pound, where HKSAR passport is ONLY $320!)!!! :eek2:

You may check it on Immigration Dept (http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/topical_4.htm) and HK's British Consulate (http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1123950039320). :|

Honestly, I rather keep the BNO ;)

And am I allowed the SAR passport even if I'm not Chinese?

Honestly, I rather keep the BNO ;)

Oh! C'mon! Have you ever considered how much the cost and benefit for still holding a BNO passport? It is sooooooooooooooooo troublesome to apply a BNO passport nowadays! I've already threw my BNO passport away three years ago and you're better to throw it away too!!! ;)

And am I allowed the SAR passport even if I'm not Chinese?

You may check it on The Nationality Law of the PRC ( http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/chnnationality_1.htm) for more details. It seems that you can apply a SAR passport. :|

Don't have a BNO passport myself but my friends that did have one ditched it many a moon ago. It's not the best passport to have unfortunately. Even the HKSAR passport is better.

You cant apply for the BNO because HK is not part of British anymore. So if it expires, well then you need to get the HKSAR passport instead, or if you are from another country, you could use that.

Since I was born in HK, I carry a BNO passport. It does have it's advantages but some people are telling me to throw it away! What do you guys think? Is it an advantage to have one or no?

It's a total disadvantage. BNO is a piece of garbage.

Still thinking but the garbage can is nearby :D

I remembered back in 96 where I see alot of people in line infront of the Immigration Centre in Wan Chai applying for their BNO passport. I don't think it's worth the wait!

Did you check if it expired yet? ;)

You cant apply for the BNO because HK is not part of British anymore. So if it expires, well then you need to get the HKSAR passport instead, or if you are from another country, you could use that.

Sorry, I've to correct your view. Actually, YOU CAN STILL APPLY your BNO passport in HK if you already have it before 1997! Nevertheless, since the high application fee and less visa-free countries for BNO, I'm still STRONGLY RECOMMENDED everyone to apply a HKSAR passport. :|

..

Anyone who had a BNO passport before can apply for a new one... But it's really too expensive... I wouldn't bother to get one.

Anyone who have right of abode in Hong Kong (whether or not you have another citizenship/passport) can apply a SAR passport unless you declare yourself as a foreign citizen to the immigration. In effect, they do accept dual citizenship if you do not declare and they still treat you as Hong Kong citizens.

However be sure you read this two pages:
http://www.immd.gov.hk/chtml/chnnationality_2.htm
http://www.immd.gov.hk/chtml/hktraveldoc_1.htm

http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/chnnationality_2.htm
http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hktraveldoc_1.htm

the only thing unique to the BNO when compared to SAR passport is that you don't need to pay a fee to get a visa to go to UK to study/work i believe ... you get a stamp ...
it cost 1300hkd for sar passport ...
other than that SAR passport could get you to more places than BNO ...
if you have both than keep both
I think its always better to have two or more passports for safety purposes ... i would take both

BNO is completely useless. I know some Malaysians who are holders of that passport and i was told that it doesnt even allow permanent residence or even right to work in the UK. You can still be refused entry when you travel to UK as a tourist. How ironic and stupid is that. Citizens of certain independent commonwealth countries can still apply for it provided that they were borned during the colonial days(before the colonies were conferred independence). I know this applies to people borned in Penang, Malaysia and Singapore not sure about other places.

BNO is hardly useful except as a bragging right. I haven't renewed mine, but have obtained a HKSAR passport instead.

BNO is only good if you travel a lot and having two is better than one
or the fact that you plan to study/work because you don't need to pay to get a permit ... as for HKSAR you do... BNO former self is the british independent passport ... most expires by now ...

if keeping one is better
than having the HKSAR one is far more useful because there are more and more places every year which you get exemption from the HKSAR passport
i have heard by next year going to USA would also be visa-free ...

maybe the BNO passport would grant you the permanent identity of British resident in the future.

I doubt BNO will lead to permanent residency in the UK. Wasn't it designed to reclassify people naturalized in Commonwealth nations outside the UK so they won't be allowed to move to the UK?

if the number is so small that it won't affect the society.
like a few thousands of vietnam 船民 were granted permanent residency in hk.

Wasn't it designed to reclassify people naturalized in Commonwealth nations outside the UK so they won't be allowed to move to the UK?
Yes. Why HKers still have such a silly hope....
To be more damn straight, the British Empire don't want you second-class guys and so they didn't even give HK democracy.

Yes. Why HKers still have such a silly hope....
To be more damn straight, the British Empire don't want you second-class guys and so they didn't even give HK democracy.

I was just going to say that.

The British sees BNO holders as second-class people. Throw it away now if you still want to retain a bit of dignity.

I was just going to say that.

The British sees BNO holders as second-class people. Throw it away now if you still want to retain a bit of dignity.

On the other hand, how does China see SAR holders?

On the other hand, how does China see SAR holders?

As a Chinese citizen.

Even if you don't hold a SAR passport, you are being treated as a Chinese citizen.


There have been times when BNO holders (HKers) got into trouble but the British embassy did nothing to help them. At the end, it was the Chinese government who gave them a hand.

The BNO is a big waste of time for nothing.

I prefer to carry a Canadian Passport and HKID.

On the other hand, how does China see SAR holders?
Hong Kong and Macau passport holders are covered by the Chinese embassy if they run into trouble abroad.

I might consider getting an SAR passport even if I'm not Chinese!

It's a little confusing though. I'm non Chinese but I was born and lived all my life in HK. But that doesn't make me a Hong Kong / Chinese citizen because citizenship is only give to those who are Chinese. And I was born in HK during British rule.

Interesting to those who lived in HK for more than 8 years but carry foreign passports. They have the right to apply for a HK Permanent Identity Card and have the right to abode in HK.

WANCH, you can't get HKSAR passport simply because you're not ethnic Chinese? If that is true, I would be outraged.

I might consider getting an SAR passport even if I'm not Chinese!

It's a little confusing though. I'm non Chinese but I was born and lived all my life in HK. But that doesn't make me a Hong Kong / Chinese citizen because citizenship is only give to those who are Chinese. And I was born in HK during British rule.

Interesting to those who lived in HK for more than 8 years but carry foreign passports. They have the right to apply for a HK Permanent Identity Card and have the right to abode in HK.

You have a Permanent HK ID, right?

If so, you ARE a HK citizen, which means you ARE a Chinese citizen.

Interesting to those who lived in HK for more than 8 years but carry foreign passports. They have the right to apply for a HK Permanent Identity Card and have the right to abode in HK.

That's because HK "unofficially recognizes" dual citizenship. As long as you don't let the government know, they don't give a shit.

WANCH, you've better read the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China (http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/chnnationality_1.htm) and the Explanations of some questions by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress concerning the implementation of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/chnnationality_2.htm) carefully!!! ETHNICAL ISSUES ARE NOT THE CASE FOR THE NATIONALITY!!! ;)

Moreover, there are caucasian British holding HKSAR passport (for ex. Lo Wai See, don't know his English name).

Moreover, there are caucasian British holding HKSAR passport (for ex. Lo Wai See, don't know his English name).

His name in English is Mike Rowse, Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK. :|

Yo guys, thanks for the info :)

BTW, I carry a HK Permanent ID card :)

Since I was born in HK, I carry a BNO passport. It does have it's advantages but some people are telling me to throw it away! What do you guys think? Is it an advantage to have one or no?

Same Here !
I am considering to get HKSAR passport but confused about missing the opportunity of getting British Passport in future.Becaues i have heard there are some legal cases going on in British courts to reconsider that discriminating complexion.

You have a Permanent HK ID, right?

If so, you ARE a HK citizen, which means you ARE a Chinese citizen.

Simply it does not make "native" chinese :eek2:

Simply it does not make "native" chinese :eek2:

Chinese citizen and ethnic Chinese are two different things.

Simply it does not make "native" chinese :eek2:

The definition of "native" Chinese is broad anyways.

China has plenty of minorities other than Han Chinese, and even Han Chinese itself has plenty of different subcultures.

Chinese is best defined as an umbrella of different ethnicities/cultures who reside in China.

If I plan to apply for The SAR passport I don't have a problem being a Chinese citizen despite being non-Chinese :)

I am not sure i have heard from my friend.Could anyone confirm it?
Thank You.

no not really.

BNO is totally different from BP.. and i have never heard that they're gonna let ppl holding BNO to have British citizenship.

i don't think it's gonna happen.

BN(O) is only a kind of travel document, it doens't really represent your nationality. for real, even you hold BN(O), you are still "Chinese," not "British" in term of nationality. i think BN(O) is going to be faded out eventually, as more hong kongers are getting HKSAR passport which is a lot cheaper to get; and there are a lot of stories about when something happens overseas, the chinese ambassador will actuallty help you out if you hold HKSAR passport; but if you hold a BN(O), the brit doesn't really care b/c you aren't british for real. and since you aren't entering that country as chinese, the chinese embassy won't help also.

for me, i have both, sometimes it might be good to have both. haha if you combine both, hong konger can go to like 162 countries visa free, even more than the US.

There's a thread already on this,

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=302248

thanks for clearing my confusion i will post detail after asking from my friend.