Family members of Hong Kong British National (Overseas) passport holders will be allowed to travel to the United Kingdom at different times, but they must apply together as a family unit for the visa that will permit an extended stay in the country, according to the latest details announced by London.

With this new arrangement, the British government requires only that applicants submit their visa bids as a family, without obliging all members of the family to be present in the U.K. at the point of application. The procedures effectively allow some of the members to remain in Hong Kong while the family applies for the BN(O) visa.

Applications for the visa are due to open on Jan. 31. Visa holders may obtain permanent residency after five years and citizenship after the sixth year.

The British government web page on the visa was updated on Wednesday to include the latest details. It states that if BN(O) passport holders are applying as a family unit, they must apply together. The main applicant, who is the passport holder, should apply first and get a unique reference number for the family that must be quoted by the other members in their applications.

If family members do not apply with the main applicant, they will not be able to apply for the visa to join the main applicant later, according to the web page. Children under 18 should apply with both of their parents, barring some exceptions that have yet to be announced.

If the main applicant and other members of the family travel at different times to the U.K., they may not all qualify to settle in the country at the same time, and may have to apply further for permission to stay to meet the five years required, the page shows.

It benefited Hongkongers for the U.K. to allow family members of BN(O) holders to reach the country at different times, but London should clarify the details for the further applications that would be needed, such as the conditions for approval, said former Democratic Party chair Emily Lau, who had been campaigning for the change.

The web page was also updated to state that BN(O) visa applicants could use income from renting out a property, self-employment or a job to show that they were able to support themselves and their family for at least six months.

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