英國政府擬改規例，伴侶或可與主申請人分開時間申請 BNO 簽證
英國政府於 9 月 10 日公布《移民規例修訂文件 (Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules)》，內容涉及 BNO 簽證。現時 BNO 簽證主申請人的伴侶，必須與主申請人一同申請 BNO 簽證；熟悉 BNO 事務的英國律師文光向《立場》解釋，修訂後英國政府或容許主申請人的伴侶與主申請人分開不同時間申請簽證。此外，已婚配偶亦不再須證明與主申請人一同居住。如無意外，修訂計劃於 10 月 6 日生效。
修訂對伴侶受養人 (dependent) 的關係條件作出改動。修訂前，伴侶受養人必須是 BNO 簽證主申請人的伴侶（即必須在申請當中）；而在更改條文後，就算主申請人已獲批 BNO 簽證（即申請完畢），其伴侶仍可被視為受養人申請人。
現時，BNO 主申請人的伴侶，必須與主申請人一同申請 BNO 簽證。文光解釋，修訂文件似乎說明，文件生效後，就算主申請人已獲批 BNO 簽證，其伴侶仍可申請簽證。此外，文光指，現時 BNO 簽證伴侶受養人須與主申請人來自同一家庭，一般來說即共同居住，但修訂後，若雙方已婚，就算分開居住，受養人的身分亦可獲承認。文光指，修訂將容許已婚但未同居的配偶，以受養人身分申請 BNO 簽證。不過，申請人須在申請時提交證據，證明雙方關係真確。
不過以上只適用於「已婚」配偶。換句話說，若雙方是未婚伴侶，受養人仍須與申請人同居最少 2 年。
惟文光指，已婚配偶就算不須證明他們來英前同居，他們亦須要在到達英國後，有意同住生活。
文光強調，修訂文件解讀僅供參考，有意申請者不應視為正式法律意見。
Changes to Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas)
APP HK1. For paragraph HK 13.3., substitute
“HK 13.3. The applicant must be the partner of a person (P) where one of the following applies:
(a) P has permission on the Hong Kong BN(O) route; or
(b) P is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) entry clearance or permission on the Hong Kong BN(O) route.”.APP HK2. For paragraph HK 13.7., substitute
“HK 13.7. The applicant and the BN(O) Status Holder must intend to live together throughout the applicant’s stay in the UK.”.
APP HK3. Delete paragraph HK 13.8.
APP HK4. For paragraph HK 15.2., substitute
“HK 15.2. If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as the grandchild of a grandparent who has, or is at the same time being granted, entry clearance or permission to stay as either a BN(O) Status Holder or the partner of a BN(O) Status Holder and the applicant has not previously had permission as a BN(O) Household Child on the BN(O) Status Holder route, they must:
(a) make an application at the same time as the grandparent who is applying for entry clearance or permission on the BN(O) Status Holder route; and
(b) form part of the same household as the BN(O) Status Holder on the date of application.”.
APP HK5. For paragraph HK 15.4., substitute
“HK 15.4. Each of the applicant’s parents must either be applying at the same time as the applicant, or have permission to be in the UK (other than as a Visitor), unless:
(a) the parent with entry clearance or permission to stay as a BN(O) Status Holder or as a partner of a BN(O) Status Holder is the sole surviving parent; or
(b) the parent with entry clearance or permission to stay as a BN(O) Status Holder or as a partner of a BN(O) Status Holder has sole responsibility for the applicant’s upbringing; or
(c) the parent who does not have permission as a BN(O) Status Holder or as a partner of a BN(O) Status Holder –
(i) is a British citizen or a person who has a right to enter or stay in the UK without restriction; and
(ii) is or will be ordinarily resident in the UK; or(d) there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the applicant entry clearance or permission to stay with the parent who has permission on the Hong Kong BN(O) route; or
(e) the applicant falls within HK 15.1(b) and there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the applicant entry clearance or permission to stay with the grandparent with entry clearance
or permission to stay as a BN(O) Status Holder or as a partner of a BN(O) Status Holder.”.APP HK6. After paragraph HK 15.4., insert
“HK 15.5. If the applicant is a child born in the UK to a BN(O) Status Holder or their partner, the applicant must provide a full UK birth certificate showing the names of both parents.”.
APP HK7. For paragraph HK 22.3., substitute
“HK 22.3. A BN(O) Household Child who does not have permission on the BN(O) Status Holder route on the date of application, will be granted permission which ends on the same date as the permission of the BN(O) Status Holder who has (or is being granted) permission.”.
APP HK8. For paragraph HK 37.2., substitute
“HK 37.2. Each of the applicant’s parents must either be applying at the same time as the applicant, or have permission to be in the UK (other than as a Visitor), unless:
(a) the parent with entry clearance or permission to stay as a BN(O) Household Member or as a partner of a BN(O) Household Member is the sole surviving parent; or
(b) the parent with entry clearance or permission to stay as a BN(O) Household Member or as a partner of a Household Member has sole responsibility for the applicant’s upbringing; or
(c) the parent who does not have permission as a BN(O) Household Member or as a partner of a Household Member –
(i) is a British citizen or a person who has a right to enter or stay in the UK without restriction; and
(ii) is or will be ordinarily resident in the UK; or
(d) there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the applicant entry clearance or permission to stay with the parent with permission on the Hong Kong BN(O) route.”.
APP HK9. After paragraph HK 37.4., insert
“HK 37.5. If the applicant is a child born in the UK to a BN(O) Household Member or their partner, the applicant must provide a full UK birth certificate showing the names of both parents.”.
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