The Home Office is pushing ahead with its plans to digitize the immigration and border system, and millions of people in the UK (including many foreign workers), with physical immigration documents, are being urged to switch to an eVisa.
Has the Home Office started sending out invitations?
The Home Office started contacting qualifying individuals on April 17, 2024, inviting them to create an online account with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to apply for their eVisa, a digital document that verifies their immigration status. Phased invitations are being sent out prior to the process becoming open to all Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) holders in the summer of 2024.
By 2025, almost all visa holders residing in the UK will be able to prove their status with an eVisa, as the majority of physical immigration documents will no longer be issued.
What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is an online record of an individual’s immigration status and contains the terms governing their entry or stay in the UK. However, an individual’s immigration status and permission are not altered by the transition to an eVisa.
How is the eVisa accessed?
Individuals must first register for a UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) account to access their eVisa. The eVisa can be used to evidence immigration status for interested parties such as employers or landlords.
What action needs to be taken?
The steps required depends on the physical immigration document that is held. For individuals in the following circumstances, the Home Office most recent guidelines are summarised as follows:
- Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) holders
If the BRP card expires on December 31, 2024, the Home Office will contact the cardholder and provide advice on how to create a UKVI account and obtain an eVisa before the BRP card expires.
Cardholders who have already received correspondence from the Home Office via email or decision letter can create a UKVI account by following the advice given.
If the cardholder has not yet been contacted by the Home Office, they will be able to create an account and access the eVisa later this year. We recommend monitoring Home Office guidance on this aspect.
- Holders of other physical immigration documents
If immigration status, such as Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE) or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), are evidenced via another physical document, for example a ‘wet ink’ stamp in a passport or a vignette sticker, then applicants are advised to make a ‘no time limit’ (NTL) application.
If the NTL application is successful, a BRP card will be issued. This will then enable the cardholder to create a UKVI account and access the eVisa. International travellers are advised to carry their BRP and passport until their eVisa is active.
Has everyone impacted been contacted yet?
No. The Home Office has begun emailing qualifying individuals, but it will take time. For BRP cardholders, the Home Office guidance currently says that ‘If you have not yet been contacted about creating an account, you’ll be able to create your account and access your eVisa later in 2024. Sign up for updates on this page to keep up to date on when you’ll be able to access your eVisa.’
How 3CS can help
We recommend that all clients check that anyone affected by the changes to the immigration system described above are aware of the changes and to look out for any communication from the Home Office. For example, Home Office emails with the subject line ‘Important information about your BRP and changes to the UK immigration system’ are currently being sent.
For further information on eVisas, visa applications or any business immigration matter, please get in touch with your usual 3CS contact.
