Can Hong Kong Nationals Claim Asylum in the UK?

The Hong Kong BNO Visa

The UK created the Hong Kong BNO visa in early 2021 to allow Hong Kongers with BNO citizenship to settle in the UK. However, despite the widespread praise for this visa, there are some potential barriers for eligibility to the BNO visa:

1. The applicant must possess BNO citizenship, or be a dependent of someone with this status.

2. The application costs and the costs associated with the immigration health surcharge can act as a financial barrier.

3. Political activists in Hong Kong may not be eligible to apply for the visa.

How to claim asylum in the UK

To be granted refugee status in the UK, an individual must meet the definition of a ‘refugee’ as outlined by the 1951 Refugee Convention. This definition outlines five essential requirements:

1. The person must be outside of their country of nationality.

2. The person must have a well-founded fear of persecution.

3. The persecution must be the result of a "Convention Reason", which are: (i) race, (ii) religion, (iii) nationality, (iv) membership of a particular social group or (v) political opinion.

4. The person must be unable or unwilling to avail to the protection of their country of nationality.

5. The person could not reasonably relocate within the country of his/her nationality.

Claiming asylum in the UK as a Hong Konger

The above provides a useful outline for how the Home Office will consider an asylum claim. For political activists in Hong Kong or other persons who fear persecution as the result of the changes in Hong Kong security law, the first three requirements will be most important. This is because a political activist in Hong Kong would fear persecution at the hands of the Chinese authorities. Therefore, they could not avail themselves to the protection of the state and could not relocate within the country.

Using the example of a political activist in Hong Kong, we have compiled a list as to how they may meet the requirements to claim asylum in the UK: 

Requirement to be outside the country of nationality

To claim asylum in the UK, a person must leave their country of nationality and enter the UK. For persons in Hong Kong, the UK currently allows holders of BN(O) and HKSAR passports to enter and visit the UK for up to six months. Upon arrival in the UK, it is vital to consider when a BN(O) or HKSAR passport holder should claim asylum. Credibility is a core element of an asylum claim, and the failure to claim asylum at the earliest reasonable opportunity could damage a person's credibility under UK law which could have a significant impact on the outcome of the claim.

For HKSAR passport holders unlikely to be eligible for the BN(O) visa, it would be prudent to claim asylum immediately upon arrival at the UK border. For BN(O) passport holders, the question of when to claim asylum is more nuanced. The UK has provided routes outside of the immigration rules on a case-by-case basis, which may be suitable for persons who are unlikely to meet the requirements for refugee status.

A well-founded fear of persecution

The person applying for asylum in the UK must demonstrate that they have a well-founded fear of persecution. In essence, this is the "credibility test" of an asylum claim. The Home Office will assess whether the evidence of the asylum claim is consistent and plausible. A substantive interview with the asylum applicant is the primary method used by the Home Office to determine credibility.

"Persecution" is interpreted in UK law to mean serious harm combined with the failure of state protection. The element of "serious harm" is vital and represents a threshold of potential harm which a person must demonstrate. The UNHCR Handbook indicates that a threat to life, freedom, or a serious violation of human rights due to a Convention Reason will always constitute persecution.

Generally, the Home Office publishes its position on asylum claims via country policy and information notes (CPINs). For political activists in Hong Kong, the relevant CPIN published in February 2020 suggests that the profile of a political activist is the principal indicator of the risk of persecution. The higher the profile of a political activist, the more likely the Home Office will be to accept that Chinese authorities are actively targeting the activist and the risk of serious harm is recognised. Low-profile political activists would need to submit evidence to the Home Office to demonstrate that it is reasonably likely that they are at risk of persecution at the hands of the Chinese authorities. Generally, low-profile political activists would need to show that the treatment they are likely to encounter would amount to serious harm above the thresholds of discrimination or prosecution.

There are several types of evidence which the Home Office will consider. Valuable evidence can include official papers, membership cards, political pamphlets, social media/blog posts, photographs and other documents. A legal representative can advise you throughout your asylum claim and can assess your evidence and the likely impact it will have on your claim.

Convention Reason(s)

This article focuses on political activists in Hong Kong, and therefore political opinion (actual or imputed) of a person is likely to be the most relevant Convention Reason. However, it is crucial to note that multiple Convention Reasons can be present in an asylum claim. While this is outside the scope of this article, race, religion, or nationality are fundamental reasons which can lead to a risk of persecution. For example, a political activist belonging to a particular religion may increase or further substantiate the risk of persecution. The Convention Reason of membership of a particular social group can be intricate, and relevant characteristics such as sexuality may also apply to the claimed risk of persecution.