What does the UK eVisa switch mean for me? Millions forced to change to digital immigration system in 2025

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Millions of people living in the UK will see their physical immigration documents expire in the new year as the Home Office transfers to a digital system. Migrants’ rights charities and experts have raised concerns that previous glitches with Home Office systems, such as merging of people’s identities, could hit the new digital roll-out in the new year. open image in gallery Most government-issued documents that confirm a person’s immigration status will expire at midnight on 31 December Dr Kuba Jablonowski, digital sociology lecturer at the University of Bristol, explained the changes, saying: “It’s not really that the documents are being switched over, it’s like they’re being switched off. open image in gallery Refugee charities and experts have raised concerns about how the switch to digital will work Nick Beales, at refugee charity Ramfel, warned people who could not prove their immigration status would see their livelihoods threatened, adding many people weren’t even being issued e-visas while they waited years for the government to process visa applications.