By the end of this year, the Home Office is transitioning to an entirely digital UK immigration system. This means that all physical immigration status documents will be replaced with digital immigration status, referred to as eVisas, and this includes any BRP’s, BRC’s or passport vignettes.

The eVisa will be the only way to prove your immigration status once this transition is complete.

The Home Office aim to complete the transition by 31 December 2024.

We consider how this change will impact individuals and what employers need to do below.

How will employees be impacted?

There may be questions about how this change will affect immigration status. The short answer is the eVisa system will not change immigration status or the conditions attached to their status. However, an eVisa must be obtained by 31 December 2024 to allow individuals to continue to travel and prove right their work, right to rent in the UK or open a bank account.

What do employers need to do?

1. Identify and consider whether any employees will be impacted by the transition to a digital immigration system.
2. Communicate these changes to their workforce and provide signposting and points of contact for any questions or for support through the process. We can support with these Comms.
3. Ensure that any visa-holders have created an online UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access their eVisa before the end of this year. This is particularly important if any employees are travelling over the Christmas and New Year period as employees could have issues with re-entering the UK.
4. Consider whether any employees travelling over Christmas and New Year require additional documentation to support their travel. Again we can support and advise on this.

How can your employees get an eVisa?

1. Create an online UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account in good time before 31 December 2024 using: Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK. No fee is required to create a UKVI account and this is quite a simple and quick process.
2. Once they have created an eVisa, they can then use the “view and prove service” to access the eVisa. They can do this here: View and prove your immigration status: get a share code - GOV.UK.
3. Employees must keep their personal details linked to their eVisa account up to date. This means their identity document and contact details connected to the account must be correct and up to date, to ensure that they can always access their eVisa status when required.

This is provided on an “information basis” and is not a replacement for legal advice. If you have any questions in relation to specific individuals, please contact us and we can provide formal legal advice.