ESC

Click the "allow" button if you want to receive important news and updates from immigrationboards.com


Immigrationboards.com: Immigration, work visa and work permit discussion board

Welcome to immigrationboards.com!

Login Register Do not show

eVisas and online only immigration status

Read me first before posting anywhere!

Moderators: Casa, John, archigabe, CR001, push, JAJ, ca.funke, Amber, zimba, vinny, Obie, EUsmileWEallsmile, batleykhan, meself2, geriatrix, Administrator

Locked
Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Tue Mar 19, 2024 2:13 am

This year will see the Home Office stop issuing biometric residence permits (BRPs), they will be replaced by an online immigration status, similar to the current system used under the EU Settlement Scheme. You may have already noticed that BRPs issued recently have a valid until date of 31-12-2024, this does not necessarily mean the leave expires then, but rather the BRP does, being replaced by a digital immigration status (or rather, that’s the plan). Please see your Home Office decision letter for details of the duration of leave you have been granted.

Applicants for visas and further leave to remain will soon be asked to create an account after they apply, and by the end of the year this will be part of the application process - including, where possible the use of the Home Office iD app and Near Field Communication enabled smart phones. At some point, likely starting in April 2024, the Home Office will start inviting those with a BRP or other proof of their status to apply for digital immigration status.

People may have to use different ways to show their immigration status for right to work, right to rent, right to access public funds and for other purposes, generating a share code should be part of this service. The use of a share code allows 3rd parties to access digital immigration status in order to view a persons current leave and any restrictions that may apply eg the right to work or access public funds.

Over the following months we will make further announcements about the changes, including, who has to apply and who does not, and how this could affect travel and entitlements.
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Thu Mar 21, 2024 7:55 pm

The Immigration Law Practitioners Association Is reporting the following:

From this month emails are being sent inviting holders of biometric residence permits to create a UKVI account.

The Home Office are sending out the emails not personalised so they will read 'Dear Sir/Madam'. This may lead to people treating the emails as phishing emails or spam. People should periodically check their junk folders.

The Immigration Law Practitioners Association is raising the issues with the Home Office. We will post again when there is an update.
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Sun Mar 24, 2024 3:57 pm

Latest from Home Officer partnership briefing:

In March-April 2024, the Home Office is running a small-scale ‘private beta’ launch
by email invitation to a small number of BRP holders to help develop and ensure an
optimal customer experience. Only BRP holders who receive an email invitation
need to take action at this stage. The Home Office intends to launch a wider phased
rollout from spring 2024. Initially this will be to BRP holders by invitation only, in
phases, before the service is rolled-out to all BRP holders from summer 2024. The
latest information is available on www.gov.uk/evisa and holders of other physical
immigration documents, including (for those who hold indefinite leave to enter or
indefinite leave to remain) passports containing vignette stickers or ink stamps, and
BRCs, can also find information here on what they need to do to create a UKVI
account to access their eVisa.

What Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) holders will need to do
Customers who have a BRP and are living in the UK will need to create


Customers who have a BRP and are living in the UK will need to create a UKVI
account to access their eVisa unless their immigration leave expires before 31
December 2024. The process to create an account will become available from spring
2024, and BRP holders should visit www.gov.uk/evisa for the latest information. Customers who hold a BRP that expires on 31 December 2024, and who have
immigration leave to be in the UK beyond this date do not need to apply to renew
their BRP, as all recently issued BRPs are due to expire on this date. Instead, these
customers should follow the instructions below to create a UKVI account.

From spring 2024 onwards, customers will be invited by email in phases to use their
BRP to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. This service will be available
for all BRP customers without invitation.

This is free, straightforward, and will not usually require BRP holders to send the
Home Office either their passport or BRP.

• This applies even to customers recently issued with a BRP.
• In the meantime, customers can use their BRP as normal.

Once a customer with a BRP has created their UKVI account, they should update
their account with any new passport or contact details. The 'Update my details’
service is an online service available to customers who have a UKVI account, which
enables them to update their details, including travel documents. The service can be
accessed at www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details.

Any BRP customer who has immigration leave that expires before 31 December
2024, but plans to remain in the UK should seek to extend their visa in the usual
way. Guidance will be provided as part of the visa extension process on how the
customer can create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.

BRP holders should continue to travel internationally with both their BRP until it
expires, and their passport.

What legacy paper document holders (passports containing ink stamps,
vignette stickers, Home Office letters, etc.) will need to do

Customers who have indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain and prove
their rights using a passport containing an ink stamp or vignette sticker, or use
another type of legacy paper document should make a ‘No Time Limit’ application. It
is free to make a No Time Limit application, and information on how to do so is
available at www.gov.uk/evisa. As part of the application process customers may
need to travel to a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services Centre (known as a
UKVCAS) to provide a photograph, and in some cases provide fingerprints.
Once an application has been processed successful No Time Limit applicants will be
issued with a biometric residence permit (BRP), which can then be used to prove the
customer's rights and to create a UKVI account.

From spring 2024 onwards, customers will be invited by email in phases to use their
BRP to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. This service will be available
for all BRP customers without invitation.

Customers can continue to use their passport or other paper document alongside
their eVisa and they should continue to take it with them whenever they travel
internationally to avoid unnecessary delays. From January 2025 customers will need
to use their eVisa to prove their rights.

Later in 2024, the Home Office will take steps to launch a revised No Time Limit
application process which provides an eVisa directly, without issuing a BRP. Further
information on the new process will be available at www.gov.uk/evisa. Until then, if
customers hold a legacy document there is no reason to delay making a No Time Limit
application.

If customers hold a passport containing a vignette sticker issued to them under EEA
Regulations, this document ceased to be valid on 30 June 2021 because the UK has
left the European Union. To continue living in the UK customers should obtain an
immigration status as soon as possible. They may be able to make a late application
to the EU Settlement Scheme as a family member of EU, EEA or Swiss citizen at
www.gov.uk/eusettlementscheme, where they will also find information on the range
of support available.

What Biometric Residence Card (BRC) holders will need to do

Customers who have a BRC and have been granted status under the EU Settlement
Scheme already have a UKVI account and access to their eVisa (also referred to as
an EUSS digital status). They can prove their rights through the view and prove
service at www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status.

BRC holders who have not applied to the EUSS should visit www.gov.uk/evisa for
information on what they need to do next.

EVisas and customers making new visa applications

Customers who successfully apply for a visa and are issued with a BRP up until
Autumn 2024, will also need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. They
can do this using the steps outlined above and at www.gov.uk/evisa.

From Autumn 2024, most customers will no longer be issued with a physical
document such as a BRP and will need to create a UKVI account to access their
eVisa. Information on what to do to create a UKVI account will be contained in their
decision notice and will also be available on www.gov.uk/evisa in due course. They
will be able to use the view and prove service through their UKVI account to prove
their rights, and carriers will be able to automatically securely access an individual’s
immigration status when they present the passport or national identity document
associated with their UKVI account.

Customers who are not sure if they already have a UKVI account and eVisa can
either check here on GOV.UK or should refer to their original grant email or letter.
Customers who already have an eVisa should ensure it that their UKVI account is
kept up to date with their latest contact information and any passport or national
identity document which they intend to travel with using the ‘Update my details’
service at www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details.
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Wed Apr 24, 2024 9:28 pm

The Home Office have published a video illustrating the new e-visa system, see - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54rPXUHuM3I
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Thu May 02, 2024 5:02 am

Here is an example of the email you should receive (remember to check junk/spam regularly):

“Dear Sir/Madam,

We are contacting you because your BRP will expire on 31 December 2024. To prove your immigration status after this date you will need to replace your BRP with an eVisa. The expiration of your BRP card does not affect your immigration status. However, starting in 2025, the way you prove your immigration status will change.


What do I need to do now?
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Please take the following steps now:

1. Create a UKVI account to access your eVisa, which will replace your BRP.
2. To create your UKVI account, you will need:

• Your date of birth
• Your BRP Number
• Your passport (if you do not have a BRP)
• Access to an email address and phone number
• Access to a smartphone

You should create your UKVI account at: https://www.gov.uk/get-access-evisa
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Tue May 21, 2024 8:39 pm

New video showing how to create a UKVI account and register for an eVisa - https://youtu.be/r2LYfUNTiEo?feature=shared
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

vinny
Moderator
Posts: 33336
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:58 pm

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by vinny » Mon Jul 15, 2024 12:24 pm

This is not intended to be legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction. Please click on any given links for further information. Refer to the source of any quotes.
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Wed Aug 07, 2024 7:28 am

From 6 August 2024 if you have a biometric residence permit (BRP) that expires on 31 December 2024, you can now create a UKVI account and access your eVisa [without needing an invitation].

You should do this before the expiry date of your BRP. You can use your travel document, such as a passport, or visa application reference number to create their UKVI account if you have lost your BRP card.

You should only request a replacement BRP if it has been lost or stolen and you have no other form of identity document to create a UKVI account.

If you cannot see your eVisa details as soon as you create your UKVI account, you do not need to anything. UKVI will contact you directly by email once your eVisa is available to view. You can use your BRP to prove your immigration status until your eVisa details are available.

The Home Office website www.gov.uk/evisa has been updated to reflect this.
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

vinny
Moderator
Posts: 33336
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:58 pm

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by vinny » Thu Aug 08, 2024 12:21 pm

This is not intended to be legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction. Please click on any given links for further information. Refer to the source of any quotes.
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

vinny
Moderator
Posts: 33336
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:58 pm

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by vinny » Fri Sep 13, 2024 2:01 pm

This is not intended to be legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction. Please click on any given links for further information. Refer to the source of any quotes.
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Sun Sep 15, 2024 6:00 am

eVisas - getting texts about creating an account

The UKVI has started to send SMS text message notifications to BRP holders to encourage them to create a UKVI account. You should still create a UKVI account even if you have not received a SMS text message or email.

The SMS text message states:

"Hello.

Your Biometric Residence Permit (BPR) reference ending XXXX is being replaced with an eVisa.

If you haven’t already, search ‘online immigration status’ at gov.uk to find out how to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa.

If you already have a UKVI account, please update your travel document and personal information.

Search ‘update your account’ on gov.uk for details.’"
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

Amber
Moderator
Posts: 17503
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:20 am
Location: England, UK
Mood:
United Kingdom

Re: eVisas and online only immigration status

Post by Amber » Mon Oct 07, 2024 9:45 pm

BRPs no longer issued after 31 October - replacement BRP service will stop receiving applications.

From a Home Office briefing:

"As you know, the majority of BRPs are expiring by end Dec 2024. On this basis, we will be stopping the issue of BRPs to new customers in advance of this, due to the limited value to customers of providing a physical document valid for a very short period. The date on which we will cease issuing new BRPs will be 31st October and we wanted to give you notice of this.

"In line with that approach, we are today closing the BRP replacement service, given that customers applying to that service, which has an SLA of 6 weeks, would be unlikely to receive their BRP before we stop issuing these.

"We are confident that the digital solutions we have in place will meet the needs of customers who no longer have physical evidence of their immigration status, including for visa nationals travelling. We have also put in place alternative ways for status to be confirmed if for any reason the automated response is not provided – including a 24/7 carrier support hub."
**this forum is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice**
Click here to send me a PM regarding an offensive post. Do NOT PM me for immigration advice.

Locked