Biometrics residence permits for all visa holders expired on 31 December 2024 as part of the Home Office’s plan to digitise the visa system.
The replacement was an e-visa system which did not apply to all visa types at once but was introduced slowly across various visa categories.
Our previous blog provided further information on this and included steps on how to set up the e-visa during those initial stages of introduction. Since then, the government has produced many self-help videos which facilitate migrants with their set-up. These can be accessed here.
To date, 4.3 million people have created their UKVI account and around 300,000 still need to act. There are some important points to note if your BRP has expired and you still need to apply for an e-visa.
Travel after 2 June 2025
The government allowed those travelling after 31 December 2024 to still use their physical biometric residence permit (BRP) as part of their concession during the transitioning stage of the e-visa system. This concession ended on 2 June 2025 and physical cards can no longer be longer at the point of entry at the UK airports, making an e-visa now compulsory.
No more 90-day vignettes for some
A vignette is a sticker placed inside a passport to allow a migrant to travel to the UK within 90 days following a grant of visa from outside the UK. From 15 July 2025, the Home Office will no longer issue vignettes for certain categories of visas, with only an e-visa issued to the following:
- Students (including short-term up to 11 months)
- Global Business Mobility
- Global Talent
- International Sportspersons
- Skilled Workers (including Health and Care)
- Temporary Workers
- Youth Mobility Scheme
Please note that the above applies only to main visa holders. Dependants and children will continue to be issued with vignettes for their initial entry.
Steps for students and workers
Migrants in the student and worker categories should follow the following steps before travelling to the UK:
- Create a UKVI account using instruction in their decision letter
- Access the e-visa and ensure details are correct
- Link their passport to their e-visa before travelling to the UK
- Get a share code to give to their education provider/employer
The sponsors are required to check and record the student or worker migrant’s date of arrival as part of their compliance duties.
Indefinite leave to remain
The e-visa was previously unavailable for those with indefinite leave to remain status. It is now rolled out to those in this category if they apply for a ‘No Time Limit (NTL)’ application which gives them access to an e-visa once granted.
There is no need to put life on hold whilst this is being processed – travel and access to rights is allowed.
To apply, they simply need to show their ILR status and most recent entry to the UK. Once approved, their e-visa will be made available online and they would access it in the same way as other migrants.
Expired biometric residence permits
These were previously required to be returned to Home Office with a fine imposed if this was not done. Returns are no longer required. The permits can be retained for personal records or use in future immigration applications.
If you require any assistance with any immigration or travel issues, please get in touch with our immigration team who would be happy to help.
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