Biometric Residence Permits to be Replaced by eVisas
Holders of the permit will need to register and set up online accounts so that they can view and share relevant information
The United Kingdom’s biometric residence permits that are due to expire at the end of December 2024 will be replaced by “eVisas”, the Home Office has said.
The permits will no longer be issued from January 1, 2025 and holders will need to register and set up online accounts so that they can view and share relevant information about their immigration status with third parties, such as employers or landlords, according to guidance from the Home Office.
The biometric residence permit card is evidence of a person’s permission to stay in the U.K. and also shows any attached conditions to the stay. It enables a person to confirm their identity and their rights to study and work in the country as well as to access public services.
According to the government guidance, people will be able to generate a share code in the view and prove service, which will give them time-limited access to their immigration status information. They can get a new share code whenever they need one and wouldn’t have to remember a single unique code to be able to prove their status. The government will continue to share relevant information about people’s immigration status automatically with some government departments and other public authorities, according to the guidance. This will reduce the need for them to interact with online services when proving their immigration status.
Further updates on how to register will be provided in 2024, including on support to those who wouldn’t be able to navigate the process without it.
The eVisa will act as an online record of an individual’s immigration status and permissions in the U.K. and is part of the government’s plan to digitise its immigration system. BRP cards are expensive to produce and administer and can be lost or stolen. They also do not show whether an individual has the right to work or to rent.
The government said eVisas will be secure and cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with, unlike the BRP card. Immigrants will not need to wait for, or collect, a physical document after their application is decided although they may still need to provide biometric information in person. An eVisa will also make it quicker and easier to prove a person’s status at the U.K. border.
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