The UK Home Office is making strides in modernizing its immigration system, with plans underway to transition to digital documentation. Millions of individuals across the UK who possess physical immigration documents are being encouraged to transition to eVisas. The UK aims to implement a digital immigration system by 2025, issuing eVisas for nearly all visa holders residing in the country.
Individuals holding biometric residency permits (BRPs) are required to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to obtain their eVisa. Those with BRPs set to expire on December 31, 2024, are particularly urged to take action.
Commencing April 17, 2024, the Home Office commenced the process by sending emails to holders of physical immigration documents, namely biometric residency permits (BRPs), prompting them to establish a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access their eVisa, serving as digital proof of their immigration status.
The issuance of invitations will be conducted in phases before the process is opened to all BRP holders during the summer of 2024.
Customers possessing physical and paper-based documents can freely create a UKVI account to easily access their eVisa. This process has no bearing on the customer’s current immigration status or rights in the UK.
eVisas offer accessibility from anywhere in real-time, enabling clients to manage their data and promptly update the Home Office with any new contact or passport details.
Regarding security measures, eVisas are securely linked with the holder’s unique biometric information, akin to BRPs, to safeguard against identity fraud.
Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, states, “Replacing physical immigration documents with eVisas will ensure strict control over individuals entering the country to live, work, or study, bolstering border security and preventing abuse of the immigration system, while also delivering cost savings for UK taxpayers.”
Individuals who already possess an eVisa need not take any further action. However, they are advised to continually update their UKVI account with any changes to personal information, such as acquiring a new passport or altering contact details. While traveling abroad, it is essential to retain valid physical immigration documents until their expiration.
Most physical documents, including biometric residency permits or cards (BRPs or BRCs), are gradually being phased out, with the majority of BRPs set to expire by the conclusion of 2024. By 2025, both new and existing clients will have fully transitioned to a digital immigration system, marking the gradual phasing out of paper-based immigration documentation.