eVisa for UK: How this sudden shift to digital cards sent scores of Indian immigrants into a tizzy?

Indian immigrants to the UK, just as the immigrants from other nationalities, are supposed to move from their physical residency permits to the digital visas, also known as e-visas.

The United Kingdom is believed to be the only country in the world which has moved to digital only residency cards for non-citizens. Until now, the UK used to issue a card known as a Biometric Residency Permit, or a BRP, to the immigrants.

Those who go to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland on a study or a work visa from India are typically meant to procure this card (BRP) from a post office upon reaching the UK.

This card which looks like a driver’s licence bears a photograph and the holder’s visa details such as the date when the visa’s tenure begins and the date of expiry.

This is the only proof of identity which visa holders from India used to flash during immigration checks on their visit to the UK.

However, these cards are being phased out with effect from December 31 this year and being completely replaced with eVisas. However, on account of tech-related complications galore, less than a million immigrants have yet not been able to move to e-visas.

One million still untouched

Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary, told a home affairs committee on Dec 17 that around 4 million people have biometric permits and need to switch to e-visas. More than 3 million people have already registered for their UKVI account.

A report published in the Guardian news website also claimed that around a million people are yet to obtain e-visas days before the deadline.

Although the BRPs have expired, some immigrants who have not managed to migrate to e-visas are permitted to use their expired BRPs until March 31 until they activate their e-visas.

“In order to smooth the transition to e-visas, we have decided to allow carriers to accept a BRP or EUSS BRC expiring on or after 31 December 2024 as valid evidence of permission to travel until at least 31 March and this date will be kept under review,” said Seema Malhotra, under-secretary of state for migration and citizenship in a statement on e-visas.

Problems & confusions around eVisas 

1. Account on UKVI: There are immigrants who are not well acquainted with technology and fail to create an account on UKVI (UK visas and immigration) and get their profile authenticated to be able to apply for the e-visas.

2. NFC technology: In order to get their profile authenticated, immigrants are meant to have an NFC-enabled mobile phone. If  they don’t have this technology, they fail to get an eVisas without understanding the problem.

NFC (or Near Field Communication), is a wireless technology that allows two devices to communicate when they are within a few centimeters of each other. 

3. Awareness: The immigrants who came in the past few months received BRP which has an expiry of one year or later. So, some of them tend to believe that they don’t need to move to e-visas since they already have a physical card.