By 1 January 2025, the Home Office is aiming to have a fully digitalised immigration system. This means that any physical visa documents (such as Biometric Residence Permits, Biometric Residence Cards, vignette passport stickers, and other passport endorsements) will be replaced by an electronic visa (eVisa), which will demonstrate the individual’s immigration status online.
What is ‘digital by default’?
The Home Office is phasing out the use of physical immigration documents in 2024. With millions of migrants to contact, the Home Office have been steadily emailing individuals and publishing guidance on the rollout of eVisas. From April 2024, invitations to set up UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) accounts from the Home Office started to be sent out. The Home Office are now advising that all Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) holders should create a UKVI account and access their eVisa.
The UK government’s plan to digitalise immigration systems aims to revolutionise the UK border and bring the UK in line with the newly digital Schengen visa across European countries, as well as digital immigration systems globally.
What is an eVisa and why do I need one?
An eVisa is the online record of your immigration status – this also outlines the conditions of your stay. The regularly updated online immigration status (eVisa) guidance details information on what an eVisa is, who needs an online account and how to create an account.
The guidance currently states that individuals with an eVisa should continue to carry their physical visa document (such as a BRP, if they have one) alongside their passport when travelling in and out of the UK. However, it is thought that migrants will eventually no longer need to carry anything but their passport when travelling internationally.
The Home Office have also now released a video explaining eVisas: What is an eVisa?
It is important to note that certain individuals may already hold an eVisa and, therefore, will not need to take any further action. This could be, for example, migrants who hold permission through the Graduate visa, the EUSS, or individuals of certain nationalities.
BRP holders and eVisas
The Home Office are advising that all individuals who hold a BRP can now create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. Individuals must do this before the expiry of their BRP.
Individuals who have lost their BRP may be able to use their travel document, such as a passport, or their visa application reference number to create their UKVI account.
If a UKVI account has been created and the eVisa is not yet visible, the Home Office are advising that they will be in touch when the eVisa is available to view.
How to apply for an eVisa
The Home Office have released an educational video on how to complete the process. If you encounter any issues creating your account, there is also an eVisa Webchat function and a helpline telephone number. A friend, family member, or immigration advisor can assist you with creating your account.
If you are unable to complete the entire process of identity confirmation and linking of your eVisa to your account, you should receive an email link so that you can later complete the process at your leisure.
The following steps should be taken to create a UKVI account, confirm your identity and link your eVisa to your account:
Step 1: Create a UKVI account online
You will have either received an email/letter inviting you to create a UKVI account, or you can access the following link and follow the steps to create an account: Get access to your eVisa. Prior to making a UKVI account, you will need access to an email address, a telephone number (that can receive text messages), a smart phone and your BRP card (or your current, valid passport and visa application number starting with ‘UAN’ or ‘GWF’).
Once you have entered in your personal contact details and clicked ‘Create Account’, you should click the ‘Confirm the phone number’ and ‘Confirm the email address’ links to verify your contact details. Verification codes should be sent to you, which you will then be required to enter into the webpage.
Step 2: Confirm your identity
Next, you will need to confirm your identity using a few short steps through the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app. This can be downloaded on the Apple App Store or on the android Google Play store. An easy way to do this is to use your smartphone camera to scan the unique QR code. Alternatively, you can request a linking code to connect to the app if this is easier for you.
The app will prompt you to scan your BRP card or passport by taking a picture of it. It will then ask you to take a picture of your face to confirm your identity.
Step 3: Link your account to your eVisa
Finally, you will need to ensure that all of the sections are completed in order to link your eVisa to your account. These include:
- confirming your identity;
- confirming your BRP/Passport number;
- contact preferences; and
- account security questions.
You will then be prompted to read a declaration and click the ‘Confirm and Submit’ button. After this process has been completed, you should shortly receive an email confirming that your eVisa is now ready to view. Please note that this can take a few days to be processed.
An important point to observe following this process is that when your account is created, your eVisa will then be linked to the chosen identity document that was used in the account creation. Prior to any travel outside the UK, you should ensure that your account is kept up-to-date, and your current travel document is linked to your eVisa.
If your identity document needs updating on your account (for example, your passport is expiring and you have received a new one), you can do this by using the ‘Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details’ section on the gov.uk website. Additionally, where a BRP was used to create your UKVI account, once your BRP expires (and once they are phased out), your current passport should be updated as the replacement identity document.
Advantages and disadvantages of eVisas
There are a number of pros and cons to the new digital system.
Advantages:
- eVisas cannot be lost, stolen, or tampered with (unlike a physical document).
- This should be a faster process, as migrants will no longer need to collect or wait for a physical document after their applications are decided (however, in some cases, migrants may need to attend an in-person biometric appointment).
- In theory, it should be easier and faster for migrants to prove their immigration status at the UK border and share their status with employers and landlords.
- It has been argued that the introduction of eVisas will assist in improving overall security in the immigration system and reducing potential errors.
Disadvantages:
- The current guidance for BRP holders is to travel with their BRP cards, as well as their passports. This could be seen as defeating the point of an eVisa and creating more work for migrants.
- If migrants hold a vignette sticker, wet-ink stamp or old-style ILR proof in an expired passport, the advice is that these individuals should make a No Time Limit (NTL) application in order to receive a BRP card. Once they have a BRP card, this can then be used to make a UKVI account. Some have argued that these individuals who have held ILR for a number of years could be left behind if they are unaware that they need to take any action.
- Individuals or communities who are less technologically proficient or struggle with the English language may continue to be unaware of the necessity to create a UKVI account.
- Parallels have already been drawn to the complications and slip-ups with the previous digitalisation rollout for those who held permission under the EUSS in 2018.
eVisas and other immigration queries: How our Immigration Solicitors can help
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This article was originally published in May 2024 and has been lightly updated.
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