Physical Biometric Residency Permit (BRP) cards which are used to prove a visa holder's right to reside in the United Kingdom are being phased out and all expire on 31 December 2024. All current visa holders are being instructed to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and virtually attach their 'eVisa' to their passports.
What is an eVisa and why is the Home Office using this alternative to the physical BRP?
An eVisa is exactly that, an electronic version of a person's visa that is attached to their passport, cancelling out the need to carry a physical BRP card with you when you travel in and out of the UK. There is a multitude of benefits to have an eVisa as opposed to a BRP:
- An eVisa can't be lost, stolen or damaged.
- Visa holders can prove their immigration rights instantly and also be able to share their immigration rights i.e., for employment or rent.
- With a UKVI account (a requirement to have before you can attach your eVisa to your passport) a visa holder can instantly update their personal details i.e., changes to name or nationality.
The Home Office have stated that they have been transitioning from physical immigration documents to eVisas for the past six years with millions already having made the switch.
Who is required to obtain an eVisa?
Most visa holders that have a BRP along with EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs) are required to have a UKVI account set up and their eVisa connected to their passport before the year end, more can be found here: Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK
All BRP holders should have received an email from the Home Office to start this process back in the autumn and all will receive an email confirming their eVisa has been successfully added to their account. As most UKVI accounts are created with the visa holder's BRP details, it is crucial to add their passport details as a document to their UKVI account as their BRPs will expire at the end of the year, this is doubly important for those traveling during the new year.
At the moment we are seeing an array of success with our clients on obtaining their eVisas and adding them to their accounts, most however are able to create their UKVI accounts (if they haven't had one created already) and add their eVisa to it with no trouble. For any children on visas their parent/guardian should follow the same steps they have to create an account for their child and obtain the eVisa. All who successfully link their eVisa to their accounts will receive an email confirming this and also a link to prove their visa, which should be saved where readily available in the event they are asked for this at the border.
What we should expect with having an eVisa now and in the future
In theory this process should make proving your right to reside in the UK easier, but with all new technological things this can take the Home Office time to iron out all the kinks that come up in the process. It is the hope that all visa holders will have a seamless process and place to go to control their visa and details and most importantly a seamless re-entry back into the UK after an international trip, we can all agree having one less thing to carry and worry about during travel is a major plus.
We should also note that there is a ‘transitional period’ until 31 March 2025, where it should still be possible to travel with a biometric card, even if it expires on 31 December 2024.
This article was written by Amber Cameron, an Immigration Team Caseworker.
