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The shift to eVisas: what you need to know and how to protect your rights

18th November 2024NewsTagged ,

The UK government’s decision to move to a digital-only immigration system is set to take full effect by 31 December 2024. This policy will replace all physical biometric residence permits (BRPs) and biometric residence cards (BRCs) with eVisas. While intended to modernise immigration processes, the transition poses significant risks, particularly for refugees, asylum seekers, and others who rely on accessible documentation to assert their rights.

This article explains the impact of this policy, highlights the challenges it creates, and outlines the actions you need to take to protect yourself.

What is changing?

From 31 December 2024, physical BRPs and BRCs will expire. To prove your immigration status, you must create an eVisa account, which serves as your digital record. This change affects everyone with an immigration status in the UK.

If you haven’t created an eVisa account by the deadline, your leave to remain and entitlements will still be valid, but proving your status could become significantly harder. Service providers like the NHS, landlords, and employers might refuse to recognise your rights if you cannot present proof through the new digital system.

Why this matters

The move to eVisas may seem straightforward, but for many, it creates unnecessary barriers. Refugees, asylum seekers, and others who are digitally excluded or unaware of the changes are at serious risk of being denied their lawful entitlements.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Digital-only proof is a challenge: Not everyone has access to reliable internet, smartphones, or the skills to navigate complex online systems. This puts many at risk of losing access to essential services.
  • Errors can have devastating consequences: The eVisa system has already been prone to technical errors, leaving thousands unable to prove their status. Any mistakes in your record could lead to wrongful denial of benefits, housing, or healthcare.
  • Lack of awareness and training: Many government departments, landlords, and employers remain uninformed about the transition, leading to confusion and potential discrimination.

What you need to do now

To avoid being negatively impacted by these changes, it’s essential to take action as soon as possible:

  1. Create your eVisa account: Visit the UKVI website and follow the steps to set up your eVisa account. If you need help, ask a trusted advisor or support organisation.
  2. Check your status: Once your account is set up, verify that your details are correct. Any errors should be reported immediately to UKVI for correction.
  3. Gather additional proof: If you don’t have digital access, keep copies of your grant of status letter or other documentation to provide backup evidence when needed.
  4. Inform your service providers: Make sure your landlord, employer, or other relevant organisations are aware of your immigration status and how to verify it.

How to get help

If you are struggling with the transition to eVisas, please get in touch with Voices in Exile and we will do our best to help you, or point you in the direction of further assistance.

 

 

Addressing the housing crisis for refugees in Brighton: Challenges and solutions 

27th October 2024NewsCall for actionTagged

Our Generalist Advice Team offers essential support to refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants, helping them access welfare benefits, secure housing, and find childcare. However, finding suitable accommodation has become increasingly difficult, especially following the closure of the Home Office ‘hotel’ in Brighton in 2023.  

Last September 2023, our team saw a rising number of homelessness cases among refugees who had been granted status, which was also impacted by the closure of the Home Office run ‘single men’s hotel’ in Brighton in November 2023. The combination of the closure of asylum hotels and the backlog of asylum claims being processed simultaneously led to an increased demand for third sector organisations to support refugees at risk of homelessness. The closure of half of asylum hotels was part of ‘Operation Maximisation’ —a Home Office policy set out on 13th July 2023 requiring single adult asylum seekers to share a room in Initial Asylum Accommodation (mostly hotels).

The Home Office recently reported a plan to make 10,000 decisions in September and maintain this going forward, prioritising those in receipt of asylum support. Therefore, we are concerned that we will see a rise of homelessness for refugees during this winter period due to lack of housing options available; a flurry of decisions being made at once by the Home Office; a lack of mental health evidence asylum seekers hold due to stigma surrounding mental health support; low ability to access this; and long waiting lists.

To prepare for this, we’re working closely with the Refugee/Asylum pathway team at Brighton and Hove Council and attend regular network groups with the NHS and other third sector organisations.

Jesuit Refugee Service’s new report examines experiences of homelessness among people refused asylum in London in Autumn 2023. Most research participants had no secure accommodation, rough sleeping was common, people were vulnerable to exploitation and abuse and prevented from managing life-threatening conditions. We also experienced this in Brighton and Hove, where refugees had been made homeless because of the asylum system when provided with 28 days’ notice to leave Home Office accommodation and find somewhere new to live.

In addition, vulnerable migrants face multiple barriers to access both council housing and private rented accommodation: not being allowed to work for the first 12 months whilst seeking asylum and then only able to apply for the right to work where limited roles are available from the Shortage of Occupation list — therefore gaining no work experience or income. Other factors that create barriers are the ‘no recourse to public funds’ status, low level English skills, and a lack of evidence to demonstrate vulnerabilities and complex needs.

We would like to acknowledge the local agencies that work with us to support our clients in finding accommodation. These include Care4Calais, Thousand 4 £1000, Room for Refugees, Refugees at Home, Brighton Wellbeing Service, Refugee Radio, Network of International Women, Brighton Exiled Trauma Service, and Brighton Therapy Centre.

For more information on the issue of rising homelessness among refugees, check out the below resources:

Some key terms to learn:

  • Asylum Support – Accommodation and Subsistence from Home Office. This is separate from an asylum claim.
  • Shortage of Occupation List – Asylum Seekers can apply for the Right to Work after 12 months of living in the UK, but the roles are limited to what is on the Shortage of Occupation List
  • No Recourse to Public Funds (often written as NRPF) – unable to access public funds such as benefits like Universal Credit, PIP, etc.

 

Want to do more to help, but don’t know what?

Find out more about hosting a refugee on a short term let here: Refugees at Home

This is who we are: 240 refugee charities stand together in joint response to anti-immigrant violence

6th August 2024NewsCall for actionTagged ,

Today we join over 240 orgs to stand in solidarity with those affected by the recent acts of violence across the UK, many of whom have already fled unimaginable horrors to try to find safety.

 This must be a turning point. Read more below:

MORE THAN 200 REFUGEE CHARITIES ‘STAND TOGETHER’ IN JOINT RESPONSE TO ANTI-MIGRANT VIOLENCE

6 steps towards migrants justice

20th June 2024Call for actionTagged ,

The rights of people who move have been under attack for too long. Our media and our politicians want to make us forget one simple truth: that people move. We always have and always will. We should be welcomed and supported when we do.

We all need rights. We all need safety. We all need dignity. We all need justice. We all need privacy. We all need community.

These are the six steps towards achieving justice for people who move, and a fairer society for us all. These basic principles have been jointly drafted by 45 organisations that work with people who move on a daily basis, and with allied organisations. We see how deeply the hostile policies and statements targeting migrants impact people and their communities. We’re proud to stand behind these six steps towards migrant justice, and a fairer society for all of us.  

  1.   Rights – We should all be able to thrive, no matter where we’re from or the colour of our skin
  2.   Safety – We must welcome people who seek sanctuary in the UK
  3.   Dignity – We must all be able to live with dignity and feel safe in our homes and workplaces
  4.   Justice – We should all be able to defend our rights and hold the government accountable
  5.   Privacy – We should all be able to pursue health, justice and support knowing that our personal data will be kept safe, and our privacy respected
  6.   Community – We all have a right to participate in our communities, and find care and belonging