As you may have seen in our earlier SUSSED post in the Summer, the Home Office is replacing physical immigration documents with a digital proof of immigration status called an eVisa.
Please see a short information video for details: What is an eVisa? (video) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
What you need to do if you hold a Biometric Residence Permit or Card (BRP/BRC) or another physical document
As part of the move to eVisas, you will need to visit Online immigration status (eVisa) – GOV.UK to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa. The move to eVisas does not impact your underlying immigration status.
Creating a UKVI account is free and straightforward and an eVisa is a secure and convenient way to prove immigration rights that cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with. If you do not take action to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa, you may face unnecessary delays when demonstrating your immigration status.
All BRP cards have an expiry date of 31 December 2024 even if the immigration permission is beyond this date. If you hold a BRP card, you should create your UKVI account before your BRP expires.
Please see the following information video: How to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa (video) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
View and prove your UK immigration status
Once accessed, eVisas can be used to generate a share code to prove UK immigration status and associated rights such as right to work and the right to rent using the view and prove service at View and prove your immigration status: get a share code – GOV.UK
Please see the following information video: How to prove your immigration status with an eVisa (video) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Keeping your UKVI account up to date
Once you have a UKVI account, it is important that you keep your details up to date so you can:
- View and prove your rights to others, for example employers or landlords.
- Be contacted by UKVI, for example if you’re waiting for a decision or to have documents returned.
- Travel with your current identity document.
Please visit Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details: Overview – GOV.UK to check what you need to keep up to update in your UKVI account.
Travel with an eVisa
Please see the following links for travelling with an eVisa:
- How to travel with your eVisa (video) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Check your eVisa is correct before you travel – GOV.UK
Students
The Visa and Immigration Student Advice Service (VISAS) will contact students where a new Right to Study check is required.
Members of Staff
- If you have Settlement in the UK and had a right to work check at the University on this basis, a new right to work check is not required.
- If you have a time-limited permission/visa to be in the UK and have ongoing work at the University, you will be contacted by HR prior to your visa expiry date about your intentions for your right to work in the UK.
If you have any questions
If you are a University of Southampton student, please contact the VISAS team: Contact us: drop-in service and appointments | The Student Hub | University of Southampton
If you are a University of Southampton member of staff, please contact the HR Staff Visa team via Ask HR: Contact us | Human Resources | University of Southampton