Important information for holders of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs)
The UK government is in the process of developing a fully digital immigration system. This means physical documents such as Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) are being replaced with online records of immigration status, known as eVisas.
By 1 January 2025, the Home Office will no longer issue the following physical documents:
- Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs)
- Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs)
- Passport endorsements, such as indefinite leave to enter wet ink stamps
- Vignette stickers in passports, such as entry clearance or visa vignettes.
Instead, customers will be able to use the Home Office online systems to view their immigration status and prove it to others.
To help individuals prepare for the changes, the Home Office has begun contacting some BRP holders to let them know what actions they need to take before their physical document expires on 31 December 2024.
The online guidance has also been updated to provide more information for those holding BRPs set to run out at the end of the year.
What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. Since 2018, millions of customers have received an eVisa online, for example through the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
Updating your physical document to an eVisa will not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
To get access to your eVisa and to use the Home Office’s ‘view and prove’ service, you will need to create a UKVI account.
Action you need to take
If you have a BRP that expires on 31 December 2024, you will need to take action to update your permission to the form of an eVisa before your physical document expires.
The Home Office will contact you to tell you when you need to take action and what you need to do. You will be given instructions on how to set up a UKVI account and link it to your eVisa.
If you have not been contacted by the Home Office about creating a UKVI account, you do not need to do anything yet. You will be able to create your account and access your eVisa later in 2024.
British citizens
If you have become a British citizen since you were last issued with a BRP, you will have the right of abode in the UK. To prove your right to be in the UK, you can use a British citizen passport or a certificate of entitlement of right of abode.
If you have a British passport, you do not need to do anything. If you have a certificate of entitlement you may need to take action in the future and further details will be provided by the Home Office in due course.
Travelling to the UK
In the future, you will be able to use an eVisa to travel to the UK and you will not need to carry a physical document, except for your current passport, which must be registered to your UKVI account.
From Summer 2024 onwards, if the passport or national identity document you are travelling with is linked to your UKVI account, airlines and other carriers will be able to digitally check that you have permission to come to the UK.
For this reason, it is important to ensure your UKVI account is always kept up to date with your current passport details and personal information, to avoid potential disruptions at the border.
Important Note: During 2024, you should continue to carry your in-date BRP when travelling internationally until it expires.
Where can I find more information?
UKVI will update their information on how to prove your immigration status throughout 2024. Your immigration status will not be affected but you will need to take action.
The latest information on eVisas is available on the GOV.UK website here, where you can register to be notified as to when you can create your new digital account.
To speak to a qualified immigration advisor about these changes, please contact Smith Stone Walters.
