“Your biometric residence permit (BRP) will expire on 31 December 2024,” will be, at best, a confusing notification to receive from the Home Office, and at worst, panic-inducing.

Over the last few months, this message is supposed to have been relayed to all who have been issued with a BRP, by way of a no-reply email.

Whilst many are conscious of this change, having been issued with a BRP valid until the end of the physical immigration phasing-out period, we receive a high volume of enquiries relating to this digital border and immigration system.

There is a general fear that one’s status is set to expire sooner than anticipated, which is understandable given the wording of this Home Office update. In an announcement on 17 April 2024, the Home Office stated:

“eVisas are central to making the UK safer by reducing the risk of fraud, loss and abuse of physical documents, strengthening border security, and providing a more secure way to prove immigration status. This will pave the way for increased automation to deliver the government’s vision for a contactless border.”

The government has indicated that the process of replacing your BRP is both free and straightforward. Whilst the former is true, the latter will depend on individual circumstances. It should be noted that, being a digital process, one will be expected to own a smartphone, have an email address, and possess a reasonable degree of tech literacy.

The purpose of this blog is to simplify the process for those who have not yet applied for their eVisas.

The process has two stages to it: creating your account online and then confirming your identity using your phone. Ensure you have your smartphone, passport, and BRP to hand before you start the process. It may be worthwhile completing the first stage using your laptop or PC.

1. Stage one: creating your account online.
   1. From your internet browser, access the government website using this link and click the big green button that reads “start now”. Answer three questions relating to your BRP.
   2. You are now asked to “create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account”. Click the green button again. You will be asked to choose either your BRP or passport to prove your identity.
   3. Once an option is chosen, fill in the required personal information and you will be sent an email to confirm you have created your account. Keep this page open.
2. Stage two: confirming your identity.
   1. Using your phone, download the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app from the App Store or Google Play.
   2. To connect the app to your account, you can either use your smartphone camera to scan the QR code on your laptop or PC internet browser or request a connection code which is sent either to your email or telephone number.
   3. Once you are logged into the app, you will be asked to take a picture of your BRP or passport. This is easier said than done and may take some perseverance whilst the phone recognises the document. The app supposedly scans passports with less difficulty than it does a BRP. Expect this part to take around ten minutes and make sure you are in a well-lit room.
   4. You will then be asked to scan the chip in your passport. This means placing your smartphone on top of your closed passport. This may also take a while and the app may ask you to place your smartphone on your passport in different angles until the app identifies the chip.
   5. Once the chip is scanned, the app will ask you to take a picture of yourself. An oval shape will appear on the app and you will need to keep your face within this whilst your features are scanned.

This final step concludes the process. You will then receive a further no-reply email from the Home Office confirming they will now process your eVisa. It could take minutes or days until you receive a follow-up email confirming that you may now view your eVisa.

It may be that you don’t have a smartphone. If that is the case, then the process is not yet open to you.

If you have a wet ink stamp in your non-UK passport confirming your Indefinite Leave to Remain status, the process is not yet open to you either.

Our experienced team of immigration lawyers are on hand to advise and help you navigate the complex UK immigration system. We’d be happy to have a discussion with any individuals or organisations looking for assistance.

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