People - Transition to eVisas

The UK government is currently replacing physical immigration documents with a digital proof of immigration status called an eVisa 

Transition to eVisas:

• By 2025, almost all physical immigration documents will be replaced with a digital record called an eVisa. This includes biometric residence permits (BRPs), legacy paper documents, and biometric residence cards (BRCs).
• eVisa holders can access their eVisa through a UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) account.

Impact on Employers and Employees:

• Employers must continue using the online right-to-work service for new employees and advise current employees with physical documents to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
• Almost all BRPs and BRCs are due to expire on 31 December 2024, but this expiry date refers to the document only, not the holder’s underlying immigration status.

What Employers Should Do:

• For new and prospective employees, employers should continue to ask those who need to prove their status to use the online right-to-work service to generate a share code.
• For existing employees, employers will maintain a statutory excuse against a civil penalty if initial checks were undertaken in-line with the guidance that applied at the time the check was made.

Information for Employees:

• Employees who use a physical immigration document such as a BRP to prove their immigration status and do not already have a UKVI account will need to create one to access their eVisa.
• The Home Office has developed a model employer email and a model intranet article about eVisas for employers to use and adapt in communicating with their employees.

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