Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people eligible for an eVisa to replace their Biometric Residence Permit have not yet applied to do so; and if she will make an estimate of the number of people who will apply for an eVisa to replace their Biometric Residence Permit in the period between 10 October 2024 and 31 December 2024.

During the transition to eVisas, we are closely monitoring the volume of customers who have registered for a UKVI account and the forecast total volume of affected customers. The total volume will be dictated by ongoing approvals under BRP generating routes through to the end of 2024. This data requires detailed assurance before it can be published externally, which is currently underway. We plan to make this data available on gov.uk in due course.

Currently, an extensive communications campaign is being delivered in support of the transition to eVisas, to help raise awareness of eVisas, build understanding of how it applies to visa holders and checkers, and encourage them to take action. This campaign is taking place alongside numerous engagement events; in the last 12 months, over 180 engagement events have been undertaken with circa 26,000 participants, to raise awareness of the transition to eVisa with intermediaries, encouraging them to share the information with their customers, staff, clients, and members.