Hong Kong democracy activist allowed to remain in UK after deportation scare

Former Hong Kong opposition leader Wu Chi-wai has been granted permission to stay in the United Kingdom for six months after initially facing the possibility of deportation upon arriving at Heathrow Airport. The decision ends several days of uncertainty and allows the veteran pro-democracy activist to reunite with his family after years of separation.

Wu arrived in London last Wednesday but was detained by UK Border Force officers for nearly 10 hours. Speaking to BBC Chinese, he said officials initially refused him entry and later informed him that he would only be allowed to remain in the country for one week before reporting back to the airport for deportation.

However, the situation changed on Monday when UK authorities approved his entry under standard visitor rules, allowing him to stay in the country for up to six months.

The 63-year-old is one of Hong Kong’s best known pro-democracy figures and formerly led the now dissolved Democratic Party. He was also among the group widely known as the Hong Kong 47, prominent activists and politicians prosecuted under Hong Kong’s national security law. Wu was released from prison in June after serving more than five years on convictions related to subversion and other charges.

Wu said the trip was mainly intended to reunite with his wife and son, who moved to the United Kingdom in 2022 and 2023. During his imprisonment, he said their contact was limited to monthly phone calls and letters, making the visit especially meaningful after years apart.

Before leaving Hong Kong, Wu said he sought advice from staff at the British Consulate General regarding his travel plans. According to him, officials assured him there should be no problems entering the UK and said they would inform the UK Border Force about his criminal record and travel itinerary in advance.

Wu said border officials questioned whether he was a genuine visitor travelling only to see his family. He also rejected media reports claiming that he intended to seek political asylum in Britain, insisting that he had no such plans.

The rights group Hong Kong Watch welcomed the UK’s decision to allow Wu to remain in the country. Policy Director Megan Khoo said the outcome was the correct one and argued that Wu should never have faced the threat of being sent back to the city where he had been imprisoned.

Wu entered Britain using a British National Overseas passport, a travel document available to many Hong Kong permanent residents born before the territory’s transfer from British to Chinese rule in 1997. Holders of the passport are generally allowed to visit the UK without a visa for up to six months.

The UK introduced a special visa route for British National Overseas passport holders in 2021 following the crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. The programme allows eligible applicants to live, work and study in Britain and eventually apply for citizenship after meeting residency requirements.

Since the scheme began, more than 230,000 Hong Kong residents have received BNO visas, while nearly 170,000 have relocated to the United Kingdom, according to government figures.

The UK Home Office declined to comment on Wu’s individual case but reaffirmed its support for the Hong Kong community 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.