Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department taken to prepare for the transition from the Biometric Residence Permit after December 2024.

We are developing a border and immigration system which is “digital-by-default”, which over time means we will increasingly replace physical and paper-based products and services such as biometric residence permits (BRPs) with accessible, easy to use online and digital services.

We have been rolling out eVisas since 2018, first with the EU Settlement Scheme and increasingly on other immigration routes, so the number of eVisa holders is continuing to rise.

We have also put in place the infrastructure to allow immigration status to be checked digitally, with simple online services for employers, landlords and other third parties, and system to system services which enable other Government departments and public authorities to access immigration status information automatically, without the individual having to share their status information. Such services currently include the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and NHS England and Wales, and we will continue to develop further services during 2022 and 2023.

The incremental rollout of eVisas has allowed us to improve our services based on user feedback and we continue to work to make our services as accessible as possible. We have also put in place support for those who experience issues or struggle to use digital services. The dedicated UKVI Resolution Centre (RC) can assist individuals to access their eVisa and use online services.

We are encouraging legacy immigration document holders to upgrade to a secure modern document. Since 6 April 2022, it has been free for those with indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK to make an No Time Limit (NTL) application, which will provide them a BRP as a step towards moving to digital.

We will also develop an account registration service, allowing those who currently hold a BRP but no eVisa to register for an account and receive an eVisa, in advance of their BRP expiring. More guidance on this process and what action BRP holders need to take will be made available on gov.uk in due course.

We are planning further communications activity aimed at BRP holders and checkers, to tell them what they will need to do as we move to a digital by default in-country immigration system by the end of 2024. We will also endeavour to reach vulnerable citizens who are less digitally confident through collaboration with other Government departments and stakeholders.