British National (Overseas) visa
Settlement & other · Outside & inside UK
What you should know
For BN(O) status holders from Hong Kong and their family members to live, work and study in the UK.
Available both as an entry-clearance application and as an in-country extension.
How UKVI counts BN(O) processing time
Processing time starts the day UK Visas and Immigration receives your biometric information at a visa application centre (VAC) overseas. It ends when a decision letter or email is issued. Weekends and UK public holidays do not count.
The published wait reflects UKVI's current customer-service standard for the BN(O) route, not a personal estimate. Your application can take longer if documents need to be verified, an interview is requested, or if your case is complex (for example, a previous refusal or criminal record).
You may be eligible to pay for a faster decision if you need a result sooner. Priority and Super Priority services are not available for every route — check the gov.uk page below for current availability.
When you might wait longer than 12 weeks
- Documents need to be verified directly with the issuing authority.
- Your application is incomplete or evidence of funds was not provided.
- UKVI requests an interview to confirm details about your application.
- You have a previous refusal, immigration breach, or criminal conviction on file.
- UKVI is dealing with unusually high demand or a system outage.