News if you’re travelling in the New Year

If you hold a visa to live in the UK, you will no doubt be aware that from 31 December 2024, your biometric residence card/permit will cease to be valid. As detailed in our comprehensive guide to converting to an eVisa, you will be expected to prove your permission to live and work or study in the UK digitally.

The Home Office has claimed that 3.1 million people have now activated their eVisas. That leaves many who have not yet taken action. If you’re not travelling imminently or wishing to prove your right to work or residence, there is no impetus. If you have plans to travel in the New Year, please take note.

If you’re travelling early in the New Year there is a new passenger support helpline for those who may be travelling from 31 December 2024. 

From 9am on the New Year’s Eve, the Home Office will commit to a passenger support helpline which can be contacted on 0800 876 6921. Calls to this number are free of charge. If you unable to contact UK 0800 numbers, you can use 0203 337 0927, which may incur charges. The passenger support helpline will be available around the clock for those subject to immigration control who are travelling imminently. The Home Office warns that their contact centre staff will not be able to contact carriers, i.e. your airline, ferry or Eurostar.

In a concession, the Home Office has confirmed that anyone with indefinite leave to remain who still relies on an ink stamp or full-page vignette in their passport, can continue to use their documents for travel. However, they are encouraged to make a No Time Limit application to access an eVisa to avoid complications going forward. 

Whilst the Home Office has said that it is conferring greater flexibility on carriers to accept expired BRPS, we strongly encourage everyone affected to switch to the eVisa as soon as possible.