Since 31 January 2021, Hong Kong nationals with British National (Overseas) (“BNO”) status and their family members have been able to apply for a special visa to live and work in the UK.

This is the BNO visa, which has seen more than 48,000 applications submitted from outside the UK since the route’s inception over four years ago. There has been a very high grant rate of 98.65%, meaning 47,441 BNO visas were issued between 31 January 2021 and 31 December 2024.

One of these visas was issued to Ellison Tsang. He is originally from Hong Kong and previously played football for the Hong Kong U-23 team at the 2022 Asian Games. He moved to Manchester, UK in 2023 to study. He had been due to sign for FC United of Manchester, a semi-professional club, in February 2024 but was prevented from doing so.

This is because BNO visas (as with most UK visas) are issued with the standard conditions permitting all types of work, including self-employment, and studies but also a restrictive condition preventing work/employment as a “professional sportsperson”. For UK immigration purposes, this includes “playing or coaching in any capacity, at a professional or semi-professional level of sport (whether paid or unpaid)”.

As a result of this restrictive visa condition, the Football Association (“FA”) rightly blocked Ellison’s registration with FC United of Manchester. The Football Association of Hong Kong, recognising his potential, had tried to intervene, but to no avail.

The footballer has now accepted that his semi-professional football career will be stalled, for the time being, in the UK. That is until he has lived in the UK for at least five years under the BNO visa category, taking him until at least 2028, at which point he should be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (“ILR”). If he is granted ILR, this will allow him to live and work permanently in the UK and there will no longer be any conditions attached which would prevent him from being a professional sportsperson in the UK.

If he did not want to wait that long, he could apply for the International Sportsperson visa. This would require him to sign with a UK football club, which already has or is willing to apply for a sponsor licence in this category. The club would also need to be governed by the FA, the Scottish Football Association, or the Football Association of Wales in order to secure a “Governing Body Endorsement” (“GBE”). Crucially, without a GBE, it is not possible to apply for the International Sportsperson visa.

Alternatively, although unlikely, it would be worth exploring whether he might already be a British citizen under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 by virtue of his parents being selected for a relevant scheme. If they were, he would have likely been born a British citizen by descent under the British Nationality Act 1981, but this “Hail Mary” seems very remote.

Since 9 April 2025, there has no longer been a need for Hongkongers visiting the UK to apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation (“ETA”) if they hold a BNO passport. However, those who only have a passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are still required to apply for and secure an ETA before travelling to the UK.

If you’re a BNO visa holder looking to pursue a professional sports career in the UK, our market-leading immigration team can help you explore the options available. Get in touch for expert advice and support

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