UK to replace physical biometric immigration cards with e-visas

By 2025, Britain is set to ditch physical immigration status documents such as Biometric Residence Permits and Biometric Residence Cards in a bid to make its borders digital, which is in-line with developed countries like Australia.
Presently, students, workers, immigrants and their dependents from non-EU countries residing in the UK are eventually issued Biometric Residence Permits, cards which are proof of their immigration status in the country.
Much like e-Passports, these plastic cards contain a chip that can be used by a Border Force officer to cryptographically verify the authenticity of the document itself and a person's identity via biometrics stored in that chip.
Some developed nations such as Australia, much like the UK, also collect biometrics from immigrants but in contrast, do not issue physical cards or in-passport vignettes.
Instead, applicants are granted an e-visa that can be verified online and serves a digital proof of their immigration status.
All UK BRPs issued up until today are set to expire December 31, 2024-even if your immigration status is valid beyond that date, or has no time limit on it.
The reason for this being, while the UK was a part of the European Union, regulations required the government to implement next-generation encryption technology into its immigration documents, and as such the UK planned on rolling out enhanced cards after the end of this year, while phasing existing ones out.
You do not need to do anything and your immigration status will not be affected.
An eVisa is an electronic record of a person's immigration status and provides customers with the ability to view and prove their immigration status digitally, explains Home Office.
It removes the need for physical documents such as, the Biometric Residence Permit, ink stamps and visa vignette stickers in a customer's passport or the Biometric Residence Card.
Because we are already in February, those with BRP cards expiring over the next few months may be wondering what they need to do.
BleepingComputer reached out to the Home Office to better understand the upcoming changes and what will the new process to prove and renew immigration status look like.
Our understanding is that the physical biometric cards and printed visa stickers will entirely be replaced by e-visas, similar to the ones issued by Australia, where immigrants currently use the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system to prove their status digitally.
Starting 2025, existing UK BRP holders are expected to register for a UKVI online account to view or prove immigration status.
Millions of people with an 'EU settled status' or those who have used the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' app already hold a UKVI account and use e-visas to prove their right to enter and live in the UK. The upcoming changes are expected to extend these conveniences to nationals of all countries.
An eVisa, much like a physical BRP, will be securely linked to its holder's unique biometric information to safeguard against identity fraud.
Starting this summer, the Home Office plans on providing airlines, train and ferry operators with integrated secure access to passenger immigration information to enhance border security and reduce unnecessary passenger delays.
With the move towards e-Visas, public government bodies like the Department for Work and Pensions and the NHS in England and Wales will be able to automatically and securely access an individual's status when they apply to access benefits and public services.
Home Office customers including existing BRP and physical document holders should monitor www.
While the UK government is on track to deliver a digital border and immigration system, including plans to trial contactless entry using just facial recognition, there are no plans at the moment to replace physical passports with digital equivalents, such as those piloted by Finland, BleepingComputer understands.


This Cyber News was published on www.bleepingcomputer.com. Publication date: Sat, 10 Feb 2024 11:25:10 +0000


Cyber News related to UK to replace physical biometric immigration cards with e-visas

UK to replace physical biometric immigration cards with e-visas - By 2025, Britain is set to ditch physical immigration status documents such as Biometric Residence Permits and Biometric Residence Cards in a bid to make its borders digital, which is in-line with developed countries like Australia. Presently, ...
9 months ago Bleepingcomputer.com
Biometric Authentication in Business: Enhancing Security - With its high level of security, convenience, user-friendliness, and accuracy, biometric authentication is paving the way for the future of secure authentication in the business world. One of the primary advantages of implementing biometric ...
9 months ago Securityzap.com
UK e-visa rollout begins today: no more immigration cards for millions - The Home Office has started rolling out e-visas for existing holders of physical immigration documents like Biometric Residence Permits and Biometric Residence Cards. Millions of such residents will start receiving email invites from today, in ...
7 months ago Bleepingcomputer.com
Biometric Security in Educational Environments - Biometric technology has gained significant attention in recent years as a potential solution to enhance security in educational environments. The adoption of biometric security in educational settings raises important privacy and ethical concerns. ...
10 months ago Securityzap.com
Biometric Authentication: Advancements and Challenges - Advancements in technology are driving the world of biometric authentication into a realm where one's very being serves as the key to accessing secure systems. The Evolution of Biometric Technology has significantly transformed the landscape of ...
8 months ago Securityzap.com
Interpol Arrests Smuggler With New Biometric Screening Database - In November, Interpol arrested a fugitive smuggler using a new biometric security system it plans to deploy across its 196 member countries. The colorlessly named "Biometric Hub" collates Interpol's existing fingerprint and facial-recognition data ...
11 months ago Darkreading.com
BidenCash darkweb market gives 1.9 million credit cards for free - The BidenCash stolen credit card marketplace is giving away 1.9 million credit cards for free via its store to promote itself among cybercriminals. BidenCash launched in early 2022 as a new marketplace on both the dark web and the clearnet, selling ...
10 months ago Bleepingcomputer.com
The future of biometrics in a zero trust world - Biometric data obtained from selfies, forged passports and cyberattacks on data stores holding everything from fingerprints to DNA have long been best-sellers on the dark web. Untraceable yet very powerful in allowing attackers to access the most ...
9 months ago Venturebeat.com
Google Removes Foreign eSIM Apps Airola and Holafly from PlayStore - Google has removed Airola and Holafly from its PlayStore for Indian users due to their sale of international SIM cards without the necessary authorizations. The decision came from the department of telecommunications, which also contacted internet ...
10 months ago Cysecurity.news
Chameleon Android Trojan Offers Biometric Bypass - A new variant of an Android banking Trojan has appeared that can bypass biometric security to break into devices, demonstrating an evolution in the malware that attackers now are wielding against a wider range of victims. Spread through phishing ...
10 months ago Darkreading.com
US Releases 3000 Immigrants Seeking Asylum After Data Breach Puts Their Lives At Risk - A recent data breach of one of America’s most notorious immigration detention centers is putting the lives of thousands of asylum seekers at risk. In a surprise move, the U.S. government has released 3000 immigrants seeking asylum, in response to ...
1 year ago Bitdefender.com
As Namibians Rush to Register SIMs, Major Telco Hoards Biometric Data - This December, citizens of Namibia are faced with a catch-22. In 10 days, more than half of the population of Namibia may lose phone service. As a price for keeping it, the other half has handed over sensitive biometric data to the country's premier ...
11 months ago Darkreading.com
Is Your Online Store Hacked in a Carding Attack? - Hackers are plotting to benefit from the generosity of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas shoppers using carding attacks as we gear up for the holiday season shopping. Online companies selling products or services are struggling with the growing ...
11 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com
Here's How Unwiped Data On Sold Devices Can Prove Costly - Millions of accounts and sensitive personal information have been compromised, but the general public's attitude towards data security remains carelessly lax. Take SD cards, for example, as portable storage medium. These minuscule yet mighty gadgets ...
11 months ago Cysecurity.news
New Chameleon Android Trojan Can Bypass Biometric Security - A brand new variant of the Chameleon Android malware has been discovered in the wild, featuring new characteristics, the most notable of which is the ability to bypass fingerprint locks. The Chameleon Android banking malware first appeared in early ...
10 months ago Cysecurity.news
Americans Deserve More Than the Current American Privacy Rights Act - EFF is concerned that a new federal bill would freeze consumer data privacy protections in place, by preempting existing state laws and preventing states from creating stronger protections in the future. The bill should limit sharing with the ...
7 months ago Eff.org
Preventing Credit Card Fraud with PoS Malware: How Prilex Blocks Contactless Payments - New versions of the Prilex point-of-sale malware can block secure, NFC-enabled contactless credit card transactions, forcing consumers to insert credit cards that are then stolen by the malware. On a payment terminal, contactless transactions use NFC ...
1 year ago Bleepingcomputer.com
To tap or not to tap: Are NFC payments safer? - These cards required insertion into payment terminals and authentication with a PIN, marking a shift toward more secure transaction methods. These cards were still susceptible to cloning or information theft, though perpetrating such crimes was more ...
11 months ago Welivesecurity.com
Apple Settles Lawsuit iTunes Gift Card Scam - Agreement reached with Apple to settle a lawsuit that alleged it knowingly let scammers exploit iTunes gift cards, and kept stolen funds. Apple in the new year has sought to rid itself of another legal claim, after it reportedly agreed to settle a ...
10 months ago Silicon.co.uk
Are We Experiencing the End of Biometrics? - Biometric security is often viewed as superior to passwords when it comes to protecting sensitive systems or data. The interface between physical and software security, verified by unique personal identifiers like iris scans, fingerprint scans, or ...
8 months ago Cybersecurity-insiders.com
Prilex PoS Malware Blocks NFC Transactions to Steal Credit Card Data - The point-of-sale malware named Prilex has been modified to block contactless transactions in an effort to force users to insert their credit cards into terminals and steal their information. Initially detailed in 2017, Prilex has evolved from ...
1 year ago Securityweek.com
eSIM Vulnerabilities: SIM Swappers Exploit Flaws, Hijack Phone Numbers - According to a new report, SIM-swapping crimes are rising worldwide, mainly committed by eSIM users. eSIMs are digitally stored SIM cards that are embedded using software into devices. As a result, hackers are now attempting to exploit ...
8 months ago Cysecurity.news
iOS Malware Steals Faces to Defeat Biometrics With AI Swaps - Chinese hackers have developed a sophisticated banking Trojan for tricking people into giving up their personal IDs, phone numbers, and face scans, which they're then using to log into those victims' bank accounts. Its variants work across iOS and ...
9 months ago Darkreading.com
Ten Years Later, New Clues in the Target Breach - On Dec. 18, 2013, KrebsOnSecurity broke the news that U.S. retail giant Target was battling a wide-ranging computer intrusion that compromised more than 40 million customer payment cards over the previous month. Ten years later, KrebsOnSecurity has ...
11 months ago Krebsonsecurity.com
Christmas scams: Attacks to be aware of this holiday season - Now, not only has the victim been charged for this fake item, but the cyber criminal now has access to all their credit card information. Now more than ever, Christmas shopping is done online - and, of course, cyber criminals are going to take ...
11 months ago Securityboulevard.com

Latest Cyber News


Cyber Trends (last 7 days)


Trending Cyber News (last 7 days)