Digitalising the UK Immigration System

At a Glance

• Although biometric residence permits list an expiry date of 31 December 2024, leave to remain will continue beyond this date based on underlying immigration status. The physical document expires on 31 December 2024 and will simply be replaced by the eVisa, with no effect on immigration status.
• To make proving immigration status quicker and easier, the UK Visas and Immigration account includes a ‘view and prove service’, allowing you to share information about your immigration status by generating a ‘share code’, which can be used to prove your right to work in the UK to employers or your right to rent in the UK to landlords.

The UK government is in the process of fully digitalising the UK immigration system. Immigration documents in the UK are gradually being converted from hard copies to online records. These are known as eVisas, and they have been introduced steadily since 2018. Many applicants to the UK immigration system already hold eVisas — for example, through the EU Settlement Scheme. The intention of the government is to fully convert all of the below-listed physical documentation to eVisas by 1 January 2025.

The documents being replaced are as follows:

• Biometric residence permits (BRPs)
• Biometric residence cards
• Passport endorsements, such as indefinite leave to enter wet ink stamps
• Vignette stickers in passports, such as entry clearance or visa vignettes

What Is an eVisa?

An eVisa is a digital record of immigration status and any associated permissions of the holder to enter or stay in the UK. It is important to note that updating physical documents to an eVisa has no impact on the underlying immigration status or associated permissions.

EVisas have been introduced in order to update the UK immigration system to a more efficient, secure, and user-friendly method of recording and proving immigration status. EVisas, as online documents, cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with, as was a concern for holders of physical documents such as BRPs. There will also be the added benefit of there being no wait time or collection necessary for eVisas.

What Do I Need to Do?

EVisas are accessed through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. This is a free service.

If you are applying for a visa for the first time, or applying to extend your leave to remain, then you will create a UKVI account as part of the application process.

If you have a BRP which states that it expires on 31 December 2024, you will be told how to create your UKVI account and access your eVisa before this expiry date. You do not need to do anything yet. You will be contacted via email or in a decision letter with instructions to create your UKVI account in the course of 2024. We are currently awaiting updates from the government as to when this will happen.

It is important to note that, although the physical BRP document lists an expiry date of 31 December 2024, your leave to remain will continue beyond this date based on your underlying immigration status. The physical document expires on 31 December 2024 and will simply be replaced by the eVisa, with no effect on your immigration status.

How Will I Prove My Immigration Status?

The UKVI account includes a ‘view and prove service’ which will allow you to share information about your immigration status. When required, the service will generate a ‘share code’ for this purpose. This code can be used, for example, to prove your right to work in the UK to employers or your right to rent in the UK to landlords. The UK government intends to make proving immigration status quicker and easier through this service.

What Happens Next?

We are currently awaiting updates from the government as to when holders of BRPs will be invited to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. This will be before the December expiry date of the physical BRP document. We will provide information when this guidance becomes available throughout the course of the year.

UPDATED 22 April 2024

The Home Office began contacting BRP holders via email, inviting them to create UK Visas and Immigration Accounts to securely access their eVisas. Invitations will be issued in phases before the process opens to all BRP holders in summer 2024.