Replacement of physical immigration documents with eVisas by 31 December 2024
UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital by default immigration system by 2025. This means they are replacing physical documents with an online record of immigration status, known as an eVisa. An eVisa is a secure and convenient way to evidence your immigration status and prove your rights that cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with.
Does this affect me?
This will affect you if:
- you currently use one of the following physical documents to evidence your immigration status and prove your rights:
- a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
- a Biometric Residence Card (BRC)
- an ink stamp or vignette sticker in your passport or another legacy physical immigration document, confirming Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain
and
- you do not already have a UKVI account and eVisa
What action do I need to take?
You will need to visit www.gov.uk/evisa to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa if:
- you currently use one of the physical immigration documents listed above
and
- you do not already have a UKVI account and eVisa
When do I need to take action?
It is essential that you take action before 31 December 2024.
This will ensure that from 1 January 2025 you can continue to:
- prove your rights (including your right to work, rent and access to any public services or benefits you are entitled to) without delay or difficulty.
- evidence your UK immigration status at the UK border.
Will this affect my immigration status or right to work in the UK?
Updating your physical immigration document to a digital eVisa will not affect your immigration status or right to work in the UK. Your type of visa/immigration status and current visa expiry date will not change.
If you have already demonstrated your right to work to us, we do not need to check your immigration status again. The only exception to this is where the Staff Compliance team contact you specifically to request that you provide evidence of your continuing right to work due to your visa expiry date.
IMPORTANT travel information
If you intend to travel internationally before your physical immigration document expires, please ensure you carry your valid in-date physical immigration document with you even if you have created your UKVI account and accessed your eVisa.
If you intend to travel internationally at the end of December/beginning of January (i.e. over the Christmas Closure period), you must make sure that you have created your UKVI account and accessed your eVisa, and linked any passport on which you intend to travel to your eVisa, to avoid problems at the border on your return to the UK after 1 January 2025.
Although you will not be able to use your expired physical immigration document to travel internationally, we recommend that you take it with you in case you encounter any difficulties during this transition period.
How do I create a UKVI account to access my eVisa?
Creating a UKVI account is free, straightforward, and will not usually require you to send any documents to the Home Office.
Information, support and guidance is available at www.gov.uk/evisa. This includes:
- Videos explaining what an eVisa is, how to create a UKVIaccount and access your eVisa, and how to travel with your eVisa
- A dedicated webchat service if you have a question or need help with creating a UKVIaccount and accessing your eVisa.
Please also read the information below and associated UKVI eVisa Guides which outline what you need to do based on the type of physical immigration document you hold.
Once you have reviewed all the information, support and guidance available, and have attempted to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa, should you experience difficulties please email the Staff Compliance team for assistance (including eVisa support request, your name and CID in the subject line).
UKVI eVisa Guidance
- Biometric Residence Card holders (family members of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens)
- Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) holders
- Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain holders with legacy physical immigration documents
- Other visa and immigration statuses
If you have an EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) BRC which shows the type of permit as “EU Scheme Settlement”, you have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and will already have a UKVI account and eVisa. You do not need to take any action other than keep your UKVI account up to date e.g. with any new passport or contact details.
If you intend to travel internationally, you should continue to carry your valid EUSS BRC with you.
If you have an EEA BRC which shows the type of permit as “Family member – EU residence”, and you have not been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, obtained another form of immigration status, or become a British or Irish citizen, then your BRC is no longer valid, even if it appears to still be in date. This is because the UK has left the EU, and the EU free movement law no longer applies.
You will need to apply for another form of permission as soon as possible. If this applies to you, please email the Staff Compliance team asap to discuss your options, including eVisa support request, your name and CID in the subject line. You may be able to make a late application to the EU Settlement Scheme as a family member of a relevant EU, other EEA or Swiss citizen.
You should not travel internationally until you can prove your UK immigration status.
All BRPs are due to expire on 31 December 2024.
If your BRP has an expiry date of 31 December 2024, and you do not already have a UKVI account and eVisa, you will need to visit www.gov.uk/evisa to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa before 31 December 2024.
If your visa expires before 31 December 2024, you will need to apply to extend your visa in the usual way. You are likely to receive an eVisa rather than a new BRP. Guidance will be provided as part of the visa extension process on how you can create a UKVI account to access your eVisa.
IMPORTANT travel information
If you intend to travel internationally before your BRP expires, please ensure you carry your in-date BRP with you even if you have created your UKVI account and accessed your eVisa.
If you intend to travel internationally at the end of December/beginning of January (i.e. over the Christmas Closure period), you must make sure that you have created your UKVI account and accessed your eVisa, and linked any passport on which you intend to travel to your eVisa, to avoid problems at the border on your return to the UK after 1 January 2025.
Although you will not be able to use your expired BRP to travel internationally, we recommend that you take it with you in case you encounter any difficulties during this transition period.
Going forward, you must make sure that you keep your UKVI account up to date e.g. with any new passport or contact details.
You should also retain your BRP after it expires and you have created your UKVI account and accessed your eVisa as you may need the reference number for future applications to stay in the UK.
If you hold Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain (also known as settlement) and currently evidence your status using an ink stamp or vignette sticker in your passport or another legacy physical immigration document, you will need to make a free No Time Limit (NTL) application to obtain a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) as soon as possible before 31 December 2024.
Once you have obtained your BRP, you will need to visit www.gov.uk/evisa to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa asap, ideally before 31 December 2024.
If you intend to travel internationally while you are waiting for a decision on your NTL application, you can travel but you will need to carry your valid passport or other physical immigration document with you.
If you intend to travel internationally after you have obtained your BRP, you must make sure that you have created your UKVI account and accessed your eVisa, and linked any passport on which you intend to travel to your eVisa, to avoid problems at the border on your return to the UK after 1 January 2025.
Going forward, you must make sure that you keep your UKVI account up to date e.g. with any new passport or contact details.
If you applied for your immigration status through the EU Settlement Scheme or used the ID Check app, you will already have a UKVI account and eVisa. You do not need to take any action other than keep your UKVI account up to date e.g. with any new passport or contact details.
If you apply for a new visa from autumn 2024, you are likely to receive an eVisa rather than a new BRP. Guidance will be provided as part of the visa application process on how you can create a UKVI account to access your eVisa.
If you are a British passport holder or Irish citizen, including if you previously held an immigration status but have since acquired British citizenship, you do not need to do anything.
If you do not have a British passport because you are a dual national (excluding Irish passport holders), you may need to take action in the future regarding how you prove your right to abode.
UKVI will provide more information in due course.
If you have a current vignette sticker in your passport, such as an entry clearance or visa vignette, and do not also have a BRP card or have indefinite leave to enter or remain, you cannot yet take action. You should continue to use your vignette as you do at the moment. UKVI will provide more information in due course.