February 10, 2024 at 06:16AM
By 2025, Britain will replace physical immigration documents with e-Visas, in line with Australia. Biometric Residence Permit holders need not do anything yet. An eVisa will digitally prove immigration status and ease status checks for employers and landlords. The Home Office will roll out information on the changes in 2024. The government plans to enhance border security and streamline access to benefits and public services using e-Visas.
The meeting notes highlight the significant changes taking place in the UK’s immigration system, particularly regarding the transition from physical immigration documents, such as Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs), to digital e-Visas. This shift is aimed at digitizing the border and immigration processes, aligning the UK with other developed nations like Australia. Existing BRP and BRC holders will need to transition to the new e-Visa system by 2025.
One key takeaway is that the Home Office plans to entirely replace physical biometric cards and printed visa stickers with e-Visas, a process that will entail all existing UK BRP holders registering for a UKVI online account to view or prove their immigration status. The transition will also extend the convenience of digital processes to nationals of all countries, with e-Visas securely linked to the holder’s unique biometric information to safeguard against identity fraud.
Furthermore, the upcoming changes will bring about enhanced accessibility to digital immigration status verification for employers, landlords, and public services. The introduction of integrated secure access to passenger immigration information for transportation operators aims to enhance border security and reduce delays. Additionally, the UK government intends to trial contactless entry using facial recognition, though there are no current plans to replace physical passports with digital equivalents.
It is important for Home Office customers, including existing BRP and physical document holders, to stay updated on developments and upcoming information via www.gov.uk/evisa over the next few months. While the replacement of physical passports with digital equivalents is not on the immediate agenda, the UK government remains committed to delivering a digital border and immigration system.
Overall, the key focus is the transformation and digitization of the UK’s border and immigration system, with the aim of delivering enhanced security, cost-savings, and greater convenience for customers and status checkers.