Following our previous article on the rollout of eVisas in the UK, the UK Government has confirmed that all those who hold Biometric Residence Permits (“BRPs”), which are credit card sized identity documents which hold a migrant’s biographic data, biometric information and details of their UK immigration status, which expire on 31 December 2024, may now register for a UK Visas and Immigration (“UKVI”) account to access their eVisa. Previously, only those who had received an e-mail inviting them to register for a UKVI account were able to create one.
In order to register for a UKVI account, which will enable those who hold UK immigration permission to access their eVisa and provide evidence of their UK immigration status, BRP holders will need to go to this website, follow the link and provide the requested information, including details of their current BRP. All BRP holders must create a UKVI before their BRPs expire at the end of the year.
It is important to note that, once a UKVI account has been created, it may be the case that details of the eVisa are not visible. In this situation, the BRP holder will simply need to wait until UKVI contacts them by e-mail confirming that their eVisa is available to view. In the meantime, the BRP holder may continue to use their BRP to prove their immigration status.
Another important point to note is that BRP holders must continue to carry their BRPs with them when they travel overseas to ensure re-entry to the UK up to the date that their BRPs expire.
We recommend that all BRP holders create a UKVI account as soon as possible to avoid any issues that may arise due to a last minute surge of people registering for UKVI accounts towards the end of the year. Once the BRP holder is able to view their eVisa, they should ensure that the details match the terms and conditions of their immigration status, in particular, the expiry date, as set out in the UKVI approval e-mail that they received when they were issued with their current UK immigration status.
If you have any questions on this or any other immigration topic, please contact James Perrott.