Britain's visa scheme for Hong Kongers opens for applications

Britain will start accepting applications from Hong Kongers on Sunday for a visa offering a fast track to citizenship introduced in response to China's controversial national security law.

Hong Kongers with British National Overseas (BNO) status and their close family members are eligible to apply for the visa, which will allow them to apply for settlement after five years and citizenship a year after that.

More than 400,000 Hong Kong residents currently have BNO status.

Britain announced on Friday it would accept applications as of Sunday and was expecting more than 300,000 applications in the next five years.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the time the scheme honours the "profound ties of history and friendship" with Hong Kong, a former British colony.

Beijing has criticized the scheme, saying London is violating China's sovereignty and interfering in China and Hong Kong's internal affairs.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. A joint Sino-British declaration upholds the rights and freedoms of those living in the territory until 2047.

The national security law was imposed by China on Hong Kong last year, with Beijing saying it targets secession, subversion, collusion with foreign forces and terrorism.

But it has been criticized by Britain and other nations, who say it is a tool for crushing dissent and opposing political views in the territory.