“Everyone with physical immigration documents is urged to take action now to switch to an eVisa, and I want to reassure those who need it that free advice and support is available,” said Seema Malhotra, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship.
The British Indian minister launched the government’s £4 million grant funding campaign this week to support vulnerable visa holders through the process of fully digitising the UK border and immigration system. All visa holders, including Indians, using a physical biometric residence permit (BRP), a passport containing a visa vignette sticker or ink stamp confirming their indefinite leave to enter/remain in the UK, or biometric residence card (BRC) as evidence of their immigration rights will be switched over to an entirely online system by 2025. A majority of the BRPs are set to expire towards the end of this year and are being automatically transitioned online in phases, to be accessed by creating and logging into a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account.
Under the Home Office drive:
· Millions of visa holders living in the UK who use physical immigration documents urged to switch now, for free, to an eVisa.
· Up to £4 million of grant funding to offer independent support for vulnerable customers as they transition to eVisa.
· National advertising campaign to raise awareness of the move to eVisas and encourage those affected to take action before many immigration documents expire in December.
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The Home Office says eVisas are a key element of its move to digitise the UK border and immigration system, replacing physical immigration documents with digital proof of immigration status for most new visa customers from autumn 2024 and most visa holders already living in the UK by 2025.
The four national grant funded bodies have been confirmed as: Migrant Help, Citizens Advice Scotland, the Welsh Refugee Council, and Advice NI, which will begin offering free support for vulnerable individuals in their transition to an eVisa. Dozens of community-based organisations, spread across the UK, will join the network of organisations actively offering support in the coming weeks.
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Using a phased approach to implementing digital services, the Home Office intention is that by 2025 most customers will have a “secure and seamless digital journey” when they interact with the UK’s immigration system.
British passport holders and Irish citizens, including those who previously held an immigration status but have since acquired British citizenship, do not need to do anything.
*Info: eVisa Support
