The Home Office is replacing physical immigration documents with a digital proof of immigration status an eVisa – for people already living in the UK, and for new visa applicants too.
The Home Office is developing a border and immigration system that is more digital and streamlined. Using a phased approach to implementing digital services, our aim is that by 2025, people will have a secure and seamless digital journey, when they interact with the UK’s immigration system.
- Customers who currently use a physical immigration document, such as a biometric residence permit (BRP), or legacy paper document such as a passport containing an ink stamp or a vignette sticker will now need to take action to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
- It is free, and straightforward for customers who hold physical immigration documents to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. Details of how to do this are available at www.gov.uk/eVisa
- Updating from a physical document to an eVisa does not affect a customer’s immigration status or the conditions of a customer’s permission to enter or stay in the UK.
- eVisas are tried and tested, with millions of customers already using them on select immigration routes, such as the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Those who check immigration statuses can already accept a ‘share code’ to check someone’s status using the relevant online services including employers (the right to work check) and, in England, landlords (the right to rent check).
- Others can check an individual’s immigration status using a share code provided by the individual being checked using the ‘check immigration status’ service.
- When presented with a legacy immigration document, like a passport containing an ink stamp, those checking status can direct the individual whose status they are checking to www.gov.uk/eVisa for details of how to access and use their eVisa.
- The Home Office are communicating with customers, those who need to check immigration status, and new visa applicants with further information on the move to eVisas and what it means for them in 2024 and beyond.
- Further information and the latest updates are available at www.gov.uk/eVisa.