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The UK is transitioning to a digital border system, replacing physical biometric immigration cards, including Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs), with e-Visas. This shift towards a paperless approach is expected to be complete by 2025.
Currently, individuals from non-EU countries residing in the UK – students, workers, and their dependents – hold Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) as proof of their immigration status.
These cards contain a chip for verification and biometric data like fingerprints and photos.
The new system eliminates physical cards, relying solely on digital records with collected biometrics.
The Home Office began sending emails to BRP holders in April 2024, inviting them to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access their digital proof of status – the eVisa. This phased rollout is meant to ensure a smooth transition before full implementation in summer 2024.
UPDATE: As of August 6, BRP holders no longer need to wait for a Home Office invitation to create a UKVI account. Employees with a Biometric Residence Permit expiring on December 31, 2024, can now set up their account and access their eVisa right away.
According to the UK government, eVisas offer several advantages, including enhanced security (no physical document to lose or tamper with), real-time accessibility, and easier user data updates. Additionally, eVisas remain securely linked to unique biometrics for fraud prevention, just like BRPs.
It is free for those who hold physical and paper documents to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. Creating a UKVI account will not change, impact, or remove one’s current immigration status or rights in the UK.
As a result of the eVisa rollout, the majority of physical BRP/BRCs will be phased out. Most BRPs expire on the 31st of December 2024, with the Home Office aiming to discontinue them entirely by 2025.
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