While the transition to eVisas continues, the Home Office has extended the grace period for the use of expired biometric residence permit ‘BRP’ or EU Settlement Scheme biometric residence card ‘EUSS BRC’ to be accepted as valid evidence of permission to travel until 1st June.
The arrangement was initially announced in December 2024 with the grace period set to end on 31st March 2025. In their efforts to ensure that no one is disadvantaged by the transition to eVisas, the Home Office has extended the grace period and encouraged those who are yet to create an account to access their eVisa to do so as soon as possible.
It is estimated that 600,000 people are yet to switch from their physical document to an eVisa.
The transitional measure is intended to provide additional reassurance to travellers during the early phase of the transition.
From the 2 June 2025, expired BRPs and EUSS BRCs will not be accepted as evidence of immigration status when travelling to the UK.
Those who have indefinite leave to remain (ILR, also known as settlement) in the form ink stamp or vignette in a passport can continue to use their documents as they do today to prove their rights, including for travel, but are encouraged to make the switch to an eVisa.
Those travelling without an eVIsa are also encouraged to create a View and Prove share code in advance of travel, which is valid for 90 days.
Border Force will continue to check all passengers through existing border processes to ensure they still have valid immigration permission.