UK Confirms No Deportation for Ex‑Hong Kong Opposition Figure After Entry Setback

British immigration minister has confirmed that former Hong Kong opposition leader Wu Chi‑wai, who was allowed to enter the UK, will not be deported despite initial hurdles in his settlement bid.

In a Thursday written response to former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten, UK Migration and Citizenship Minister Jo White emphasized that overseas criminal convictions ought not to trigger automatic denial of settlement applications under the British National (Overseas) scheme.

Wu, former chair of the dissolved Democratic Party and former legislator, was initially denied entry at London Heathrow earlier this month but later received temporary admission.

He was released from a Hong Kong prison in late June after serving four years and five months for a high‑profile subversion conviction related to his involvement in a 2020 unofficial primary election.

Reports indicated that Wu was exploring the BN(O) route to British citizenship in order to join his family already residing in the United Kingdom.

Initially, Wu was only granted a seven‑day temporary stay, but after advocacy from rights groups — including Patten, who lobbied the Home Office for guidance on handling politically persecuted applicants — he was permitted to remain as a visitor for six months.

In her letter, White noted that standard immigration provisions on criminality and adverse conduct also apply to BN(O) applicants, while acknowledging the need for flexibility.

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