British National (Overseas) - Specific Privileges

Specific Privileges

British Nationals (Overseas) are Commonwealth citizens and therefore enjoy certain rights in the United Kingdom. For example, they are eligible to join Her Majesty's Civil Service and, if resident in the UK, can vote there. British Nationals (Overseas) can be conferred British honours, receive peerages and become peers of the House of Lords. If living in the UK without any immigration restrictions, they can also stand for election to Parliament and local councils.

British Nationals (Overseas) apply to enter the UK on a working holiday Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa. BN(O) applicants who hold funds of £1600 or more and aged 18–30 are eligible to apply. YMS entry clearance holders are free to perform many activities (with certain restrictions) in the UK for at most two years. BOCs, BOTCs and BN(O)s granted entry clearance under the YMS do not need to be sponsored for the YMS with no quotas.

British Nationals (Overseas) can register as full British citizens (rather than having to apply for naturalisation) under section 4 of the British Nationality Act 1981, after living in the United Kingdom for five years; the last year of which must have been without any immigration restrictions (such as by holding Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or its equivalent). Section 4 registration confers British citizenships otherwise than by descent and hence children born subsequently outside the United Kingdom will normally have access to British citizenship.