Decision Maker: Council

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: June 18, 2025

Purpose:

Content: RESOLVES: 1.      That this Council: a)      recognises the significant number of residents in Milton Keynes who arrived in the UK under the British National (Overseas) (BNO) visa scheme, particularly from Hong Kong, seeking safety, stability, and the chance to build a new life; b)      acknowledges the contributions that BNO visa holders have made to our local economy, public services, voluntary organisations, and communities across the city; c)      notes that the UK Government’s white paper on immigration, published on 12 May 2025, proposes to extend the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) qualifying period from five to ten years for most visa routes — including the BNO route — with limited detail on how exceptions for “contributions to society or the economy” will be assessed; d)      is concerned that this proposed change, if applied retrospectively, risks undermining trust in the UK Government’s original commitment to a five-year pathway for ILR for BNO visa holders, many of whom are now approaching that milestone and have built their lives around it; and e)      recognises the sense of anxiety, uncertainty, and potential injustice now being felt by BNO residents in Milton Keynes who took up the UK’s offer in good faith. 2.      That this Council believes that: a)      the original five-year pathway to ILR should be honoured for those already living in the UK under the BNO visa scheme; b)      immigration policy must be predictable, transparent, and fair, especially for those who have made long-term life decisions based on official government guidance; and c)      the BNO visa route reflects the UK’s moral and historical responsibility to the people of Hong Kong, and this responsibility should be upheld with integrity. 3.      That this Council resolves to: a)      ask the Chief Executive and Group Leaders to write to the Secretary of State for the Home Department urging the Government to guarantee that BNO visa holders already in the UK will not be subject to the extended ten-year ILR requirement; b)      request urgent clarification from the Government on how “contributions to the economy or society” will be assessed for potential exemptions, and how transparency and fairness will be ensured in this process; c)      ask all three Group Leaders to write to the Members of Parliament for Milton Keynes, requesting their active support in advocating for the rights of local BNO residents and pressing for the original terms of the BNO scheme to be upheld; and d)      work with community leaders, local voluntary organisations, and BNO residents to provide support, raise awareness, and ensure their voices are heard in the national conversation.