London: The Campaigners and lawyers warn of a potential repeat of the Windrush scandal as the UK government imposes a “cliff edge” deadline for immigrants to switch to new digital visas.
By the end of the year, over 500,000 non-EU immigrants with leave to remain in the UK must replace their physical biometric residence permits (BRPs) with digital e-visas. BRPs currently prove their right to reside, rent, work, and claim benefits.
To access their e-visa, immigrants need to open a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) digital account. The Home Office has invited a trial group of BRP holders to open digital accounts. However, many invitations went to lawyers instead of the immigrants, as many used their solicitors’ email addresses for Home Office communications. This has left lawyers unable to identify the intended recipients due to data security exclusions.
Zoe Bantleman, legal director at the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association, noted that those without access to their e-visa after December 31 would be unable to prove their status. “The Home Office has placed them in a similar situation to members of the Windrush generation. They have status, but they cannot prove it.”
From this summer, any BRP holder can open a UKVI digital account without an invitation. However, immigration lawyers fear the government’s publicity drive will miss many older or poorer people who may not speak English as their first language or lack internet access.
Zoe Dexter from the Helen Bamber Foundation criticized the plans as chaotic, saying, “The move to digitize proof of identity will take a huge financial toll on hundreds of thousands of people, including refugees and survivors of trafficking and torture.”
Critics also warn of potential technical failures and the consequences of the deadline. People can apply for a UKVI digital account after December 31, but many may only discover the new rules when they cannot prove their right to return from holiday or claim benefits, leading to disruption.
“This is a recipe for disaster,” said Bethan Lant of migrant rights charity Praxis. “People will be unable to evidence their status through no fault of their own. We’re not saying don’t go digital. We’re saying engage better, do it carefully, and do it over a period of time.”
A Home Office spokesperson defended the move, stating, “E-visas provide secure confirmation of someone’s UK immigration status, enhance security, and bring cost savings for the UK public. Our phased launch marks an important step towards replacing physical documents with e-visas by 2025, as part of the transformation and digitization of the UK’s border and immigration system.”
CURIOUS | Songs become emotional & repetitive since 80s; Study
