Immigrant rights groups have warned that UK residents could still be banned from returning from abroad for switching to digital visas, despite the government extending the deadline by three months.
of The Ministry of Home Affairs announced last week The move to electronic visas as proof of UK residency will begin at the end of March 2025, scrapping the original 31 December deadline, leaving just weeks to go after a transition plagued by technical issues. .
While the delays have been largely welcomed, there are widespread fears that the schedule changes will not be able to reach airport and border officials overseas in time, resulting in UK residents being refused travel permits and stranded overseas. There is a possibility that
“Based on our experience, we emphasize that this message does not extend to all airlines, all check-in staff and third parties, and all boarding gate staff,” the Association of Immigration Law Practitioners ( ILPA) says the EU. Civil rights group the3 million said: In a letter to the Home Office After the postponement was announced.
Under government rules, if a transport operator transports a passenger to the UK and the passenger is subsequently not allowed to enter the country, the operator must cover the cost of bringing the passenger back. “Carriers are for-profit organizations and tend to be risk averse,” the letter said. “Therefore, unless confirmation is received from UK authorities that someone has permission to travel, it is very likely that the government will err on the side of caution and refuse to allow that person to board.”
“We are concerned that these measures will only lead to future difficulties and will not be enough to avoid travel disruption,” said Monique, head of policy research at The 3 Million Companies. Hawkins said. observer. “We need reassurance that those who are stranded overseas through no fault of their own will not have to bear the financial, emotional and devastating burden of an expired document. It cannot be left to individuals to persuade airlines to allow them to travel, the government must take responsibility for this.
An electronic visa system is already in place for EU nationals in the UK. “We have seen people lose job opportunities and rental contracts, be denied access to services and have difficulty traveling due to technical errors,” Hawkins said. “It is clear that the current system is not fit for purpose.”
The government has launched a 24-hour 'Support Hub' for transport operators who want to check a passenger's immigration status, but the 'Resolution Center' helpline for passengers only operates during UK daytime and waiting times are It often takes more than an hour.
The Home Office says 3.1 million people have opened a UKVI online account to access an e-visa so far this year, but it is unclear how many still need to open one. I haven't done it. After the extension, the old Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) will no longer serve as proof of immigration status, but passport ink stamps and visa vignettes that predate the BRP should continue to be valid. .
Campaigners say the rollout of e-visas is riddled with technical problems. “We've seen government agencies deny parents access to child benefits because they're not ready to accept e-visas, and we've seen major banks refuse to accept e-visas as identification. '' said Josephine Whitaker-Yilmaz of the immigrant rights charity Praxis. “Administrative errors like this can push families to the brink of poverty or onto the streets.”
Some people face technical obstacles to accessing an eVisa, such as not having a smartphone or regular email account.
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“In some cases, even if you have successfully created a UKVI account and received a confirmation email, technical issues may prevent you from accessing your e-visa,” said Sara Alsherif, Program Manager at Open Rights Group . “There were issues with the old application appearing instead of the new one. Some of these issues still remain, such as linking refugee travel documents to e-visas.
“Delays from the Home Office do not solve the problem. In fact, it has caused further problems, leaving many people without clear guidelines, especially after they announced that they would stop issuing new BRPs. It means the Home Office is leaving them in the dark, with no proof of their right to work, rent or re-enter the country.”
