Key Highlights
The eVisa has gained a lot of attention over the last few years. Transitioning to eVisa would mean letting go of the physical immigration paperwork and will completely digitalize the process - a big change from years of how the immigration process is traditionally done.
The United Kingdom is set to realize this transition into reality. They have announced their intention to transition to eVisas. This will modernize their immigration system and shift all visa-related operations to a digital mode.
With the initiation of the eVisa, all the visa holders in the United Kingdom will have to go through the transition from holding a physical visa to an eVisa. This time window is open for them to complete this process till 2025.
More About The eVisa
An eVisa brings an imperative change to the immigration and border security system of a country. By digitizing it, the country obtains enhanced border security, with lesser risks around fraud, theft, or misuse of physical documents. These criminal activities are nearly impossible to carry out with an eVisa.
eVisas thus provides a safe and foolproof way of validating your immigration status and identity. It also lays down the foundation for a contactless border experience. This aligns with the UK government's vision for an automated immigration system, says the UK Home Office in their statement about rolling out eVisas.
Tom Pursglove, the Minister for Legal Migration And The Border, also highlighted the importance of digital transformation in their governmental affairs and recognized the positive impact of the transition to eVisas. It strengthens border security, prevents any malpractices or illegal activities around the immigration system, and saves the money of the taxpayer.
What Is the UK Home Office Doing Now?
The Home Office of the United Kingdom has begun the transitioning process by sending out emails to immigrants who hold physical immigration documents. These document holders, who hold a biometric residence permit (BRP) have been asked to create new UK Visas And Immigration Accounts (UKVI accounts) to legitimize and access their eVisas.
Individuals who already hold an eVisa do not need to make any changes to their application or make any other modifications to their visa status. The Home Office aims at completely phasing out physical visa documentation by 2025. By then, all visa procedures and documentation will be digitized and carried out online.
The government of the United Kingdom has also introduced a new policy, known as the Electronic Travel Authorization Scheme (ETA scheme). This scheme is a digital system that facilitates travel permission and applications. It strengthens pre-travel screening measures. It also allows the UK authorities to investigate and identify any potential threats before they enter UK soil and prevent any such individuals from entering the country.
Conclusion
The advantages of an eVisa make this transition a very desirable change from the UK government's end. eVisas have so many advantages: they prevent the occurrence of identity fraud or visa theft since it’s impossible to do so with an online visa. It is also linked to the individual’s biometric data, so committing identity fraud with this visa is impossible.
It also offers strengthened security and border control measures. Moreover, an eVisa is accessible from anywhere. As long as you have an Internet connection, you can access your eVisa from anywhere around the world, in real time. You can even download it and keep it on your electronic devices.
If you want to know more about eVisas or Visas in general, then TerraTern is the best companion that you can find for all your queries.
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