Updates to eVisa page following Home Office seminar
We have published the recording of our recent seminar with the Home Office to discuss the roll out of eVisas and what they mean for employers in terms of right to work checks, maintaining a statutory excuse, and communication with impacted staff.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is developing a digital-by-default immigration system to replace physical documents with an online record known as an eVisa.
Biometric Resident Permits (BRPs) will no longer be issued on immigration decisions made after 31 October 2024. Individuals need to take action to create a UKVI account to access their eVisas by 31 December 2024.
The eVisas page has been updated to include:
- a video recording from the latest webinar with the Home Office on eVisas which took place on 7 November
- updated resources and support section
- questions and answers which answered on the day of the webinar
- an acronym buster
- updates to key points including what to do now that BRPs are no longer being issued.
We are continuing to work with the Home Office to answer outstanding questions form the day, such as those related to sponsorship. A further update to the Q&A will follow.
Take away points from the session included:
- Individuals that have a BRP that expires by 31 December 2024 will need to create a UKVI account. This will enable them to access their eVisa and prove they have the right to work in the UK.
- This expiry date refers to the document only, and not to the holder’s underlying immigration status.
- Expired BRPs, for a short period of time, can be used to create a UKVI account and share code for right to work purposes. However, individuals should still create a UKVI account before the deadline.
- 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. Only where an employee’s existing permission to stay is due to expire, as confirmed via the initial check, will you need to carry out a follow-up check to maintain a statutory excuse.
The next and final seminar as part of the international recruitment masterclass session will take place with the Home Office on maintaining sponsorship responsibilities. This will take place in early 2025, joining details will be published shortly.
