The Home Office used its social-media channels on 12 November to publish a new step-by-step guide for migrants who still rely on physical biometric residence permits (BRPs) and vignette stickers. The notice, echoed in UK and international media, reminds every visa holder that paper and plastic documents will be fully replaced by a downloadable eVisa before the end of 2025.
The guidance clarifies that each family member—including partners and children—must create an individual UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) account using a passport and one of three reference numbers (visa application, current BRP, or an expired BRP that is still within its 18-month grace period). Once the account is active, holders can view their digital immigration status on any device and share it with employers, landlords or airlines via a secure online ‘share code’.
![UKVI issues fresh guidance to accelerate switch to eVisas]()
Importantly, the update explains who does not need to take action: short-term Standard Visitor visa holders, travellers entering on the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme and EU Settlement Scheme family-permit holders. It also confirms that eVisas issued from 3 November 2025 will cover some six-month visitors on a pilot basis, signalling that the technology is ready for wider rollout.
For mobility managers, the message is clear: begin internal audits of expatriate populations now. Employees whose BRPs expire on 31 December 2024—the bulk expiry date set when post-Brexit BRPs were issued—should be coached to create UKVI accounts well before overseas travel to avoid being denied boarding. Employers should update right-to-work check procedures to accept online share codes instead of physical cards, train HR staff in spotting fraudulent screenshots, and verify that global mobility policies reference the digital status system.
The eVisa migration supports the UK’s long-term ‘contactless border’ vision and dovetails with the ETA scheme and biometric e-gates already in place. Once fully live, the digital ecosystem is expected to save the Home Office more than £200 million a year while giving businesses real-time certainty over an employee’s work rights.
The guidance clarifies that each family member—including partners and children—must create an individual UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) account using a passport and one of three reference numbers (visa application, current BRP, or an expired BRP that is still within its 18-month grace period). Once the account is active, holders can view their digital immigration status on any device and share it with employers, landlords or airlines via a secure online ‘share code’.
Importantly, the update explains who does not need to take action: short-term Standard Visitor visa holders, travellers entering on the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme and EU Settlement Scheme family-permit holders. It also confirms that eVisas issued from 3 November 2025 will cover some six-month visitors on a pilot basis, signalling that the technology is ready for wider rollout.
For mobility managers, the message is clear: begin internal audits of expatriate populations now. Employees whose BRPs expire on 31 December 2024—the bulk expiry date set when post-Brexit BRPs were issued—should be coached to create UKVI accounts well before overseas travel to avoid being denied boarding. Employers should update right-to-work check procedures to accept online share codes instead of physical cards, train HR staff in spotting fraudulent screenshots, and verify that global mobility policies reference the digital status system.
The eVisa migration supports the UK’s long-term ‘contactless border’ vision and dovetails with the ETA scheme and biometric e-gates already in place. Once fully live, the digital ecosystem is expected to save the Home Office more than £200 million a year while giving businesses real-time certainty over an employee’s work rights.
