UK Immigration: eVisas and digitalisation

Thursday 19 December 2024

eVisas and digitalisation
The Home Office’s replacement of physical immigration documents with digital immigration status (eVisas) intends to render the border process more efficient, reduce the risk of tampering and put eVisa holders in control of their own data as well as enabling them to share their UK immigration status more easily.

All individuals who hold UK immigration permission are required to apply for an eVisa as soon as possible, to evidence their immigration permission digitally from 1 January 2025 onwards (although note the section on transitional measures for travel below).

This includes all holders of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs), which are due to expire on or before 31 December 2024.

Individuals can undertake the simple procedure to apply for their eVisas via the relevant GOV.UK page, available here. The Home Office guidance page on eVisas contains further useful details.

The Home Office has also released helpful videos which demonstrate how to apply for an eVisa, available here.

Individuals who hold indefinite leave to remain in the UK evidenced with a legacy document (such as a stamp in a passport or a vignette sticker) should make a ‘no time limit’ (NTL) application to receive their eVisa.

Transitional measures for overseas travel
On 4 December the Home Office announced transitional measures to ease the transition to eVisas from 1 January 2025, due to concerns about technical complications and travel accessibility.

Under these new measures, airlines and other carriers will be able to accept biometric residence permits (BRPs) and EU Settlement Scheme biometric residence cards (BRCs) expiring on 31 December 2024 as evidence of permission to travel to the UK, provisionally until 31 March 2025. This measure should provide some reassurance for migrants travelling over the festive period.

Nevertheless, migrants should create an eVisa account now if they have not already done so. Additionally, anyone with indefinite leave to remain who uses an ink stamp or vignette in a passport to prove their rights can continue to use their documents as they do today, including for travel. These people are also encouraged to make a No Time Limit application to access an eVisa as soon as possible.

Important steps to facilitate travel
To avoid delays or issues during travel, we strongly recommend that migrants take the following steps:

Create a UKVI account and set up access to your eVisa if you still need to do so.
Check that your details listed on your UKVI account are correct and up to date and ensure that your current passport/travel document is linked to your account. Also, update the details on your UKVI account if any of the following have changed:
- mobile phone number
- email address
- name
- identity documents, such as your passport or national identity card
- home address
- postal address
Report an error to UKVI if your details, such as your name, immigration status, or photo, are wrong on your eVisa.
If you have one, travel with your biometric residence permit (BRP) or biometric residence card (BRC). Carriers have been instructed to accept these expired documents until 31 March 2025 to facilitate smooth travel to the UK. If you encounter difficulties boarding a flight, carriers should call the 24/7 Home Office support hub to confirm a passenger’s immigration status.
Create a ‘View and Prove’ share code to give third-party access to your UK immigration permission. The airline/carrier for your journey to the UK may request this before permitting you to travel. This share code will be valid for 90 days from the creation date.
Carry a copy of your approval email or letter from the Home Office, confirming that you have been granted UK immigration permission, and a copy of your eVisa profile page for your personal records.

How to apply for digital immigration status (eVisa)

Who needs to apply for an eVisa?

Holders of UK immigration permission are required to apply for digital immigration status – eVisas – by 31 December 2024, in order to evidence their immigration permission and right to work and rent in the UK digitally from 1 January 2025 onwards.
Anyone who has been granted immigration permission who does not already have an eVisa is now able to apply for one.
Once you have been granted access to your eVisa, you can prove your immigration status in the UK, for example to an employer or landlord, by using the view and prove service.
If you already have a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account and eVisa, you should not need to apply again. However, you still need to ensure that your UKVI account remains up to date (see details below).

How to obtain an eVisa

The eVisa application process is free of charge. You will require:

access to a smartphone
a mobile phone number
an email address
your valid passport
your visa application number – this is a global web form (GWF) number or unique application number (UAN).

There are five steps involved in the eVisa process:

STEP 1: Create a UKVI account

access the link to create a UKVI account at https://www.gov.uk/get-access-evisa and select ‘Start now’.
when the form asks ‘Which identity document are you using?’, select ‘Passport’.
provide your personal details, current passport details, visa application number and contact details, as directed by the form.

STEP 2: Link eVisa to the account

once your UKVI account has been created, proceed to sign into your account using your passport number, date of birth and a security code sent to your email address or phone number.
when you have signed in to your account, an option should appear on the account to link your eVisa to the account.
the eVisa linking option may take several days to appear. If it does not appear immediately, you should log out of your UKVI account and re-access this page at a later date.

STEP 3: Complete identity check

download the UK Immigration: ID Check App to a smartphone and connect your UKVI account to the App. You can choose to connect to the App either by scanning a QR code with your smartphone or entering a unique connection code.
upload a digital photo, a scan of your face and a photo of your passport as directed by the App.

STEP 4: Complete eVisa application form and view eVisa

once the ID check has been undertaken, complete the eVisa application form on your UKVI account, including providing your contact preferences and completing your security questions and a declaration. You should receive an email confirming that your eVisa application has been submitted, and later, an email confirming that your eVisa is ready to view. This notification may take several days to arrive.
once ready to view, you can access your eVisa on the view and prove service. It is essential to check that the details on the eVisa are accurate.

STEP 5: Future eVisa access

once your UKVI account and eVisa have been created, you can share your status (for example, with an employer or landlord) via the Home Office’s online view and prove service.
you should safely retain a copy of your passport used for logging into the account, as well as any immigration application reference numbers, in case your document is lost, stolen or returned to the authorities.

Keeping your UKVI account up to date
Each time you re-enter the UK, you must re-enter using the passport linked to your UKVI account. If you change your passport (for example, if it expires) you must update your UKVI account with your new passport details via this link to enable your status to be accessed when presenting this document for travel in the future. You can also use this link to update your personal details in your UKVI account. Should you notice any errors on your eVisa record, you may report these to the Home Office at the following link.

Further guidance
General guidance on eVisas can be found on GOV.UK at this link. The Home Office has also produced a video to guide applicants through the eVisa process, available here.

Any issues?
Please contact your HR department, or the Home Office’s helpline on +44 300 790 6268 (select option 3) or +44 203 875 4669 for assistance.

Our legal fees

Fixed fees
We work on a fixed fee basis. Our fees for assistance with individual UKVI account set-up typically range between £500 to £750 plus VAT depending on urgency and complexity involved.