The British government has started its immigration system digitalisation, which is being implemented by inviting foreigners with Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) to substitute their documents with a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. This account will be used by foreigners to access their eVisa.
The transition process began on April 17, 2024, and during this time, the Home Office will send emails to those with BRPs, reminding them to create a UKVI account, which will serve as proof of their immigration status, VisaGuide.World reports.
Replacing physical immigration documents with eVisas will ensure firm control over who comes here to live, work or study, strengthening border security and preventing abuse of the immigration system, while delivering cost savings for UK taxpayers.
Foreigners in the UK will be invited by the authorities in phases before the process officially opens to all holders of physical immigration documents, scheduled for this upcoming summer.
eVisas to Strengthen UK’s Border Security
This initiative is being introduced in national efforts to digitalise the immigration system while also reducing the risk of fraud, and abuse of documents, which aims at strengthening the border security even further.
The authorities also went on to clarify that eVisas are free and available for those who hold physical and paper documents. Creating a UKVI account will not impact the user’s current status but is rather a measure that provides convenience.
eVisas are perceived as secure documents as those cannot be lost, unlike physical documents. In addition, they can be accessed at all times, further improving communication between users and authorities. Certain public bodies are already allowed to access immigration status to decide whether the candidate is eligible for public services.
New Changes Expected to Prompt Great Success
eVisas have been tried and tested before and millions of people using the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) are evidence of how successful the measure can be. Most BRPs or BRCs are being removed gradually, with the majority of Biometric Residence Permits expiring by the end of 2024.
We’ve already taken really significant steps to digitally transform the border and immigration system, and this wider rollout of eVisas is a key part of that process.
The United Kingdom is one of many countries that are planning or have already started the automation and digitisation of their immigration systems. Recently, Sri Lanka launched its eVisa system and announced that it would be a more efficient substitution for the Electronic Travel Authorization.