Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had recent discussions with representatives of migrant organisations on the development of a digital solution for the e-visa scheme.

The Home Office has implemented a comprehensive engagement strategy to smooth the transition to eVisas and to maximise awareness raising across various sectors. This includes collaboration with key stakeholders including migrant organisations.

The Home Office is committed to ensuring everyone, including the elderly, those with learning disabilities, those with limited English and the most vulnerable, are properly supported as we transform our immigration system.

On 18 September 2024, we announced that the Government is providing up to £4m in dedicated grant funding to a UK wide network of voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver valuable support to those who need it, during the transition from physical immigration documents to eVisas. The list of organisations is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evisa-community-support-for-vulnerable-people.

We have ensured that the wording used to explain how to create a UKVI account and get access to an eVisa is simple and can be easily translated using various free online services. In consultation with stakeholders, we are also considering providing some information about the transition to eVisas in other languages.

People can nominate a ‘helper’ and give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with creating a UKVI account to access an eVisa, and with any immigration application. Where a person is unable to manage their own affairs due to, for example, age or disability, an authorised ‘proxy’ can create and manage the account on behalf of the person. People can also contact the UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre (https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk for support via email and webchat, and telephone.

For those inside the UK our Assisted Digital service is available to provide support by phone and email to those who need help with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account and accessing an eVisa. Access needs can include any disability that requires support to use online services, a lack of device or a lack of internet access. More information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/assisted-digital-help-online-application

We are also taking further steps to reduce the number of circumstances where people need to provide evidence of their immigration status, by developing services to make the relevant immigration status information available automatically through system to system checks with other government departments and the NHS.