The UK’s eVisa system was designed to streamline immigration, replacing physical documents with efficient, digital alternatives, meant to modernise the country’s border control systems. 

However, the national rollout of the new technology has been plagued by technical problems, system failures, and accessibility issues, with civil groups arguing that the reliance on digital-only immigration documents is putting privacy, and the welfare of the most vulnerable people at more risk.

In a world where a single technical glitch can mean missed flights, denied entry, or even deportation, is going fully digital the right move?

What Is an eVisa, and Who Needs One?

According to the UK Government, the eVisa scheme is at the heart of its ‘digital by default’ immigration and border system, providing an online record of an individual’s immigration status and the conditions of entry for coming into the UK.

Until now, the majority of UK immigration documents have been physical. However, with most of these expiring on 31st December 2024 – though still valid until the end of March 2025 – foreign nationals, international workers, and overseas students are now required to prove their right to remain digitally.

All visa holders who live in the UK and use a physical immigration document to prove their rights need an eVisa, including those using biometric residence permits (BRPs), biometric residence cards (BRCs), or a passport containing a visa vignette sticker or ink stamp, for those with indefinite leave to enter and remain.

In order to do that, however, they must first create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, linking their passport to their online record, which can be used to share information about their status and conditions, such as their right to work or rent in the UK, with state and local bodies, as well as employers. 

Although the need for an eVisa system pre-dates Brexit, when the EU introduced a requirement for all member states to upgrade their border and immigration tech, the scheme truly kicked off in April 2024 when the previous Conservative government sent millions of emails inviting those with physical immigration documents to create UKVI accounts.

More recently, the Home Office, which administers the eVisa system, said in December that over 3 million people had already made the switch from using physical immigration documents to an eVisa out of the more than four million needing to do so before the deadline strikes.

Why Did the UK Launch the eVisa System?

In a word, security. The eVisa system was designed with security in mind, both for the UK’s borders and the personal data of immigrants.

Previously, the UK border agencies had worked to enhance data analysis at the border as a way to combat crime and phase out legacy systems, but since coming into power, Labour has revealed plans to invest millions more into security technology as part of its drive to digitise the border. 

For the government, eVisas and electronic travel authorisation (ETA) documents are just one point in a more robust, modern, and efficient border protection plan. 

Added to this, the government has repeatedly claimed myriad benefits of the switch to digital visas for individuals, including enhanced security for sensitive immigration documents, with eVisas generally immune to being lost, stolen or tampered with, unlike a physical document.

Under the plan, the government also claims that those living in the UK are able to access their eVisas in real-time from anywhere, providing greater control over their own data, with changes to their details updated swiftly and smoothly in one centralised, online database.

Organisations that require proof of immigration status can also conduct simple checks on the GOV.UK website, with public bodies like the NHS and the Department for Work and Pensions able to securely access an individual’s status when they apply for benefits and public services. 

The goal of a sleek, streamlined immigration service ties neatly with the push for digital transformation within the machinery of government, but the reality of the eVisa rollout has seen vulnerable people being caught between the gears.

The eVisa Fallout

Before fully rolling out the eVisa scheme, the government publicly acknowledged problems in getting the initiative off the ground, with the UK’s minister of migration and citizenship, Seema Malthotra, announcing on December 4, 2024 that the deadline for switching to an eVisa was being extended to 31st March this year, essentially softening the government’s stance after receiving a flurry of concerns from those relying on physical documents.

Malhotra also said that eVisa applicants should keep printed, physical records of their eVisa applications and outcomes to use when interacting with the Home Office, just in case. 

Even in the last few weeks, more problems have emerged, with the Independent reporting that people travelling from abroad were having difficulty boarding flights to the UK using eVisa share codes, and that refugees were unable to prove their status due to technical issues.

Other flaws in the eVisa system have seen those entitled to state benefits being told by the DWP their financial support was being taken away, including refugee families and one individual, identified by the Guardian, granted asylum in the UK after torture abroad who received a letter from the DWP telling him his personal independence payment would end when his old physical documents expired.

For those without internet access, or who have difficulty navigating online, proof of status is often out of reach, a problem most acute among those who struggle with their digital confidence, such as the elderly or at-risk, although the government has committed up to £4 million for voluntary and community sector organisations to provide some support.

Research from the3million, a non-profit organisation that advocates for EU citizens rights in the UK, found 297 reports of eVisa problems since the end of June last year, an average of 1.5 every day.

Among the biggest problems facing those using the system are issues viewing their eVisa (29%), being unable to complete the UKVI setup (19%), and their eVisas having the incorrect information (18%).

According to that study, these problems are being compounded by a lack of communication from the Home Office, conflicting advice from the government, and simple errors being left unchecked.  

Home Office figures show that it had dealt with 441 complaints between 28th August and 15th December alone, more than a hundred every month, but the department pre-emptively said back in February last year that it would not be liable for any problems or disruptions due to the use of the UKVI accounts, including direct and indirect losses or the corruption of data.

The eVisa Backlash

Criticism of the UK’s eVisa system has come fast and heavy from many quarters, with no signs of relenting.

The Open Rights Group, among the UK’s most well known civil action groups, warned that the eVisa rollout was leaving the government open to a potential digital Windrush scandal, and published an extensive report on what it viewed as a ‘hostile and broken’ system made worse through problematic design choices, poor planning, and poor implementation.

There have even been calls for an urgent public inquiry from the3million to investigate the impact of eVisas and the risks of expanding the digital-only system.

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The Refugee Council, meanwhile, has already published a briefing paper detailing the issues refugees and other vulnerable migrants faced under the switch to eVisas, including being unable to open bank accounts, secure housing, or apply for benefits, with the charity calling on the Home Office to make the process more transparent.

Likewise, the Migrants’ Rights Network cautioned the switch to digital documents too, citing a lack of awareness among some communities over the transition to eVisas, and warning that migrants could fall through the cracks as a result of the speed at which changes are being implemented. 

The citizenship minister noted in December 2024 that some people might have concerns about eVisas, but said “that’s why we’ve been so focused on listening”, adding that she has “therefore brought in changes to reflect these concerns … this includes working with airlines to allow biometric residence permits or EU settlement scheme (EUSS) biometric residence cards that expire on or after 31 December to be accepted as valid evidence of permission to travel until 31 March 2025.”

According to the government, if someone does not have either a passport or a BRP, and they are a newly recognised refugee, the Home Office will create a UKVI account for them so they can access their eVisa within 14 days of a positive decision on their asylum claim being served.

The government said those individuals are then informed that their UKVI account has been created and are provided the necessary information for them to sign in, with these communications including details on how to get support for accessing or reporting any issues with their eVisa, but that the transition to eVisas does not impact a person’s underlying immigration status.

A spokesperson for the Home Office told DIGIT: “eVisas bring significant benefits. They cannot be lost, stolen, or tampered with, unlike a physical document, and also increase the UK immigration system’s security and efficiency.

“We are continuously listening to concerns people have and are working closely with stakeholders to ensure the rollout of eVisas is smooth.”

What’s Next for the eVisa System?

Despite the problems and fierce criticism, the government is pressing ahead with its plans, and looks set to meet the extended deadline of 31st March to fully switch over to the eVisa system.

However, the latest figures show that around a million people who will need an eVisa yet to sign up for a UKVI account, creating concerns that those who are already digitally excluded will suffer the most.

For its part, the Home Office said it is doing its best to reach out to those yet to apply, has support services in place to help vulnerable people transition to eVisas, continuously monitors the system for technical faults, and is working with airline carriers to ensure their understanding of eVisas and the automated checking of status.

Given the scale of the challenge, however, it remains to be seen whether the UK eVisa system can actually deliver the efficient, digital future the government intends.