The Home Office are currently in the process of contacting those with Biometric Residence Permits with instructions on how to set up a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account in order to be able to evidence their immigration status digitally when their physical card expires at the end of 2024.
Those who hold other physical evidence of their immigration status, for example, an indefinite leave to remain stamp or vignette in their passports, are being advised that they must firstly make an application to receive their first Biometric Residence Permit before they can proceed with setting up their UKVI online account.
The application that must be made to receive your first Biometric Residence Permit is called a ‘No Time Limit’ application. It allows those who hold old-style immigration documents or those who have lost them to upgrade to a Biometric Residence Permit which can be used to confirm their existing UK immigration status.
To make this application, the applicant will need to show evidence of their indefinite leave to remain status and demonstrate to the Home Office that their leave has not lapsed by being out of the UK for 2 years or more.
Applications should be made online and can be submitted free of charge. The applicant will then require to attend a separate appointment at one of the Home Office’s commercial partners’ sites to enroll their biometric information, meaning that their facial features will be scanned and copies of their fingerprints will be taken.
The Home Office aim to make a decision on these types of applications within 6 months and there is no super priority service available at present. Once an application is successful, the person will be issued with their Biometric Residence Permit, evidencing their indefinite leave to remain status. They will then use their physical card to set up a UKVI online account to access their eVisa status electronically.
The Home Office intend to begin to bring eVisas into effect at the beginning of 2025. The Home Office have recently published a video guide explaining what an eVisa is and how those with UK immigration status can register to access their eVisa online. The video can be found here: What is an eVisa? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
It is therefore recommended that holders of old-style immigration documents should act now in making their application to receive their first Biometric Resident Permit, in order to be able to set up a UKVI account and then evidence their immigration status digitally when the Home Office move to the online digital immigration system in 2025.
If you would like our advice or assistance on making these applications, then please do not hesitate to contact our immigration team to arrange an initial consultation.
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