Electronic visa status – what are my responsibilities?

In the last few years, the Home Office has gradually moved towards a more digitalised immigration system, and it seems they are likely to continue in this way. 

Previously, individuals who applied for a UK visa with duration of more than 6 months were all issued with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) to show their permission to live in the UK. A BRP is a physical card, roughly the size of a credit card. 

More recently, EU nationals (who have biometric chips in their passports/ID cards) and those who have previously been issued with a BRP (with a biometric chip) may instead be granted an Electronic Visa Status (EVS) to show their permission to live in the UK.

An EVS is essentially proof of an individual’s immigration status which can only be accessed online. You can access your EVS by logging on to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account with your date of birth and identity document number (passport or BRP). The UKVI online portal can be accessed here.

What are your responsibilities as an EVS holder?

In addition to the general conditions of your particular visa, with an EVS you will need to ensure you keep the following details up to date on your UKVI account. 

You must update your UKVI account if you’ve changed your:

• Name
• Nationality
• Mobile phone number
• Email address
• Identity document, such as your passport, ID card (EU nationals only) or BRP
• UK address

You will need to log on to your online account to update these details. Not only is it a condition of your visa to update your personal details, but it is also very important to ensure you keep all details up to date so that you can continue to view your online immigration status, prove your right to work in the UK and travel smoothly into the UK. 

How Gherson can assist

If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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