Home Office Sets Out Immigration And Border Control Strategy To 2025

• Published date: 26 July 2022
• Subject Matter: Immigration, General Immigration, Work Visas
• Law Firm: Lewis Silkin
• Author: Mr Andrew Osborne, Stephen O'Flaherty, Parvin Iman and Tara Sayer

On 20 July 2022 the Home Office published further details of its strategy to deliver an end-to-end digital immigration system. The planned system transformation will involve a digital process for applying for permission to travel and identity verification for immigration applications, as well as using eVisas to cross the border and demonstrate entitlements within the UK.

The New Plan for Immigration: legal migration and border control strategy covers the Home Office's vision across the following areas:

• Planning to come to the UK
• Making an application
• Travelling to the UK
• Crossing the border
• Living in the UK
• Cross-system improvements

Planning to come to the UK

The Home Office intends to:

• Provide clearer customer guidance on GOV.UK, with a simplified set of guidance for work visas due to be available later in 2022;
• Roll out additional interactive customer support tools building on the success of tools such as Check if you need a UK visa and Check if you may be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa;
• Produce a series of 'how to' videos to assist customers to complete tasks such as making an application for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), proving their identity or making an application for a sponsor licence;
• By 2025, have in place a fully digital end-to-end process for individuals using the UK immigration system;
• Reduce customer queries through improved customer information and application processes; and
• Provide digital self-service support for customer queries using chatbot and voicebot services.

Applying to come to the UK

'Digital by default' system

The 'digital by default' agenda for the immigration system will be pursued further, with more people being able to enrol their biometrics digitally (or being able to reuse previously enrolled biometrics), making their application online and receiving an eVisa rather than physical proof of their status.

eVisas

eVisas are considered by the Government to be more secure, up-to-date and convenient to apply for and maintain. However, there are currently known issues with EU Settlement Scheme participants being able to access their UKVI account, which the Independent Monitoring Authority is currently investigating. Minimisation of such issues, combined with an effective resolution centre service will be critical to ensuring that individuals are not disadvantaged. The Home Office has stated that from 2023 their customer service agents will be in-house experts able to view all of the customer's immigration...