British immigration authorities have reversed course and allowed former Hong Kong Democratic Party chair Wu Chi-wai to remain in the United Kingdom for six months as a visitor, ending a week-long saga that highlighted the grey zone facing high-profile Hong Kong travellers. Wu, one of the 47 opposition figures prosecuted under Hong Kong’s 2020 National Security Law, arrived at London Heathrow on 22 July but was issued only a seven-day ‘immigration bail’. Rights groups warned that deporting him would undermine the UK’s commitment to press and political freedoms. In a letter sent late on 27 July, the Home Office confirmed that Wu’s conditions have been upgraded to a standard six-month leave to enter, enabling him to reunite with his family and consult lawyers about a potential BN(O) visa application. For mobility managers the incident is a reminder that, despite the UK’s generous BN(O) pathway, case-by-case discretion still applies at the border. Executives travelling after prolonged imprisonment or with ongoing legal proceedings in Hong Kong should carry full documentary evidence of their visit purpose and—where relevant—their BN(O) eligibility. The case also raises broader questions about how other jurisdictions may handle politically exposed Hong Kong travellers. Canada and Australia operate similar humanitarian visa routes and could see copy-cat scenarios. Companies relocating staff under BN(O) or other schemes should pre-screen employees for potential admissibility issues and build in extra time for secondary inspection. Wu’s lawyers say he will spend the next few weeks recuperating before deciding whether to convert to a longer-term immigration status. The Home Office declined to say whether the concession signals any policy shift, stating only that entry decisions are made “on the individual merits of each case.”
Source: Associated Press
