This article is published by Migrate UK - an Immpact Legal Partner

Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) will cease to exist from 31st October 2024 - Switc to eVisa scheme now

As announced by the Home Office as of today, we finally have confirmation on the date that Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) will cease to be issued. This date will be the 31st October 2024.

In line with the announcement, the Home Office has also confirmed that the BRP Replacement service is now closed as of today. This is due to new applications being unlikely to be processed in time before BRPs cease to be issued.

Therefore, it’s important that any BRP holder who has not yet switched to the eVisa scheme keep their immigration document safe as they will no longer be able to request a new BRP to complete the eVisa setup.

Any BRP holder who has not yet switched and has lost their immigration document can still apply for the eVisa scheme. They will require the following information:

-              Their BRP number; or

-              The visa application number of their most recent application

The document scanning step can then be conducted on their passport.

Key Information for UK Employers to Share

It’s imperative that employers communicate the importance of switching to the eVisa for any existing BRP holders and encourage them to make the switch prior to their BRPs expiring on the 31st December 2024.

Employer’s must also remember their obligations to conduct new Right to Work checks for all their employees who had a manual document check completed on their time-limited permission to remain in the UK, these checks must be conducted before the expiry of the employee’s immigration document. Those with online Right to Work checks do not need to repeat them.

Contact Legal Experts

Should you need any further advice in relation to this, please contact Migrate UK for assistance. Contact us at info@migrate-uk.com or call 01235 425 559.