Hong Kong Activist Wu Chi-wai Allowed to Stay in UK After Initial Border Detention
Former opposition leader and pro-democracy campaigner secures a six-month stay in Britain after authorities reversed an earlier decision to deny him entry.
Former Hong Kong opposition leader Wu Chi-wai arrives in the UK after his border entry was approved.
Former Hong Kong opposition leader Wu Chi-wai has been granted permission to remain in the United Kingdom for six months after initially being detained and refused entry upon arriving at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Wu, 63, arrived in Britain last Wednesday to reunite with his wife and son, who relocated to the UK in 2022 and 2023. He told BBC Chinese that he was held by UK Border Force officers for nearly 10 hours before being informed he could stay for only one week and would later have to return to the airport for deportation.
However, UK authorities reviewed the case on Monday and approved his entry under the standard six-month visitor arrangement.
Wu Chi-wai Wins Reversal at UK Border
More than 100 words into the case, Wu Chi-wai said the decision allows him to spend time with his family after years of separation. He explained that while imprisoned in Hong Kong, his only contact with his wife and son had been through monthly telephone calls and letters.
Before travelling, Wu said he sought advice from staff at the British Consulate General in Hong Kong regarding possible entry issues. According to him, consular officials indicated there should be no problems and said they would inform UK Border Force about his travel plans and criminal record.
Wu said immigration officials initially questioned whether he qualified as a genuine visitor and believed he might intend to remain in the country beyond his visit.
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Wu denied media reports suggesting he planned to seek political asylum in the United Kingdom, insisting that his visit was solely intended to reunite with his family.
He is one of the Hong Kong 47, a group of prominent pro-democracy politicians and activists prosecuted under Hong Kong’s national security law. Wu was imprisoned for more than five years after being convicted of subversion and related offences before being released in June.
Rights Groups Welcome Decision
Human rights organisation Hong Kong Watch welcomed the UK government’s decision to allow Wu to remain in the country.
Policy Director Megan Khoo said the outcome was appropriate and argued Wu should never have faced the possibility of being returned to the city where he had been imprisoned.
BNO Passport Holders Can Stay Six Months
Wu travelled to Britain using his British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport, a travel document issued to eligible Hong Kong permanent residents before the territory’s 1997 handover to China.
Under current UK immigration rules, BNO passport holders are generally permitted to visit the United Kingdom without a visa for up to six months. Since 2021, the UK has also operated a dedicated BNO visa scheme that allows eligible Hong Kong residents to live, work, and study in Britain before applying for permanent settlement and, eventually, citizenship.
According to the UK government, more than 230,000 Hong Kong residents have received BNO visas, with nearly 170,000 already relocating to the United Kingdom.
The UK Home Office declined to comment on Wu’s individual case but reiterated its support for Hong Kong residents living in Britain. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government said it had not received any request for assistance from Wu or other Hong Kong residents regarding the matter.
