eVisas and the end of Biometric Residence Permits
All change from 31.12.2024: eVisas and the end of Biometric Residence Permits
If you have been issued with a Biometric Residence Permit, you will have noticed that the expiry date is 31.12.2024, regardless of the length of the visa that you have been granted.
There is no need to panic.
It does not mean that your permission to enter or stay in the UK will end on that date.
This is because as of December 2024 the government are set to replace the physical documents with digital immigration records, known as eVisas.
What is an eVisa?
The new eVisa will be an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
They will replace Biometric Residence Permits and cards, passport endorsements and visa vignettes.
The EU Settlement Scheme already uses eVisas.
How do you get an eVisa?
The Home Office say that people will need to set up a UKVI account so that they can view and share their immigration status e.g. with their employer or landlord and for travel.
This link provides some further information about eVisas and how to create a UKVI account, including a You Tube video.
Throughout 2024 the Home Office will be providing updates on when you can register for a UKVI account and what you need to do.
People being granted an extension of stay from now on are being invited to create a UKVI account when they receive their Biometric Residence Permit. We understand that Biometric Residence Permits or Cards will not be issued after October 2024 and so people will have need to create a UKVI account from then on.
People who already have permission to enter or stay are being invited to register an account throughout this year.
You cannot currently set up an account until you are invited to do so. However the scheme will be opened more widely later his year. The date has yet to be confirmed.
You can sign up to receive updates on the GOV.UK website using the link above.
What about your current immigration status?
An eVisa is a digital record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter to stay in the UK.
Changing to an eVisa will not affect either the length or conditions attached to your current visa.
Travelling to and from the UK
Until the end of 2024, you will still need to carry your Biometric Residence Permit or Card to travel.
After 31.12.2024 you will be able to use an eVisa for travel. You cannot use a Biometric Residence Pemit or Card for travel after 31.12.2024.
Your e Visa will be linked to your Passport in your UKVI account. You will still need to carry your Passport for travel and it will identify your immigration status at the border.
It is imperative that you keep your Passport details updated on your UKVI account so that you can travel. If you obtain a new Passport and have not received confirmation that your UKVI account has been updated, you should travel with your old Passport too.
Working in the UK / Renting a Property
You can continue to use a Biometric Residence Permit or Card to prove your right to work and rent in the UK after 31.12.2024, provided you have been granted permission to enter or stay in the UK beyond this date.
Once you have a UKVI account, you can also use your eVisa to prove this. You can use the view and prove service to generate a share code to enable an employer or landlord to check your immigration status.
What if you have Indefinite Leave to Remain but do not currently have a Biometric Residence Permit to prove your status?
Some people were granted Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain before the introduction of biometric enrolment and Biometric Residence Permits and currently prove their status using a Passport stamp or vignette.
The Home Office are advising people who are in this position to make a free No Time Limit (NTL) application. As part of this process they will attend a biometric enrolment appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services Centre (UKVCAS). They will then be issued with a Biometric Residence Permit to prove their status. This can then be used to create an eVisa account.
The Home Office intends to launch a revised NTL application process later in 2024, which provides an eVisa directly rather than issuing a Biometric Residence Permit first. Details of this are awaited.
What if you do not register for an eVisa by 31.12.2024?
There are concerns that some people may not realise they need to create a UKVI account or find it difficult to create one, possibly as they do not have access to the required technology to do this.
As explained above, you can continue to use a Biometric Residence Pemit or Card to prove your right to work and rent in the UK after 31.12.2024, provided you have been granted permission to enter or stay in the UK beyond this date. However you will not be able to use this for travel. You do therefore need to create an UKVI account to access an eVisa by 31.12.2024.
Help with your eVisa
We can advise on the steps that you need to take to get an eVisa and assist with setting up and using a UKVI account.
Contact Us
Watch out for further announcements on our website once the Home Office have released further information about registering for a UKVI account. Or contact our personal immigration team or business immigration team on 0191 232 9547.
