Campaigning at Green Party Conference on e-visa scheme

The Green Party is meeting for their annual conference from 6-8th September.

We are planning to campaign at this event to alert Green Party members and elected representatives to the issues around the Home Office's e-visa scheme.

Join us from 12-2pm on Saturday 7th September to help flyer delegates.
If you are planning on attending, please email

james.baker@openrightsgroup.org

##### What's the problem?

Until recently, migrants from outside the EU had physical documents to prove that they and their families could live, work or study in the UK. These could be physical cards or stamps or stickers in their passports.
The Home Office wants to replace these physical documents with e-visas by the end of December 2024. This will affect four million people in the UK.

This scheme could be a second Windrush scandal, where people who have the right to be in the UK can no longer prove their status because of failings in the Home Office’s systems. Like the Windrush scandal, it could lead to people losing their jobs, losing their homes and being denied entry to the UK.

##### What are the key issues with the transition to e-visas

The rollout of the scheme has been deeply flawed, with time running out for 4 million people to register for an e-visa. At first people were told they would receive an email to sign up, then after many people did not receive an invitation on 6th August 2024 it was announced that with just months to go people could now sign up publicly. Many don't have the kind of smartphone they need to create an account. The scheme will also disproportionately impact older people, people with learning difficulties, people whose first language is not English, and people with limited access to technology. These failings put millions of people at risk of not being able to prove they have the right to be in the UK.

The e-visa schemes would make millions of people vulnerable to technical glitches, data losses and Internet outages. The EU Settlement Scheme, Horizon Post Office scandal and recent global Microsoft outage show that tech systems can and do fail. If this happens, there could be serious life-changing consequences for people not being able to work, rent a home, study, get a loan or claim benefits.

From January 1, airlines are going to be responsible for checking that people have the right to travel to the UK, and to check this status electronically before their customers are allowed to fly. People with an e-visa will need to access the Home Office website while in an airport and generate a code to prove that they have the right of travel. This could cause chaos at airports and leave people stranded abroad.

##### What do we want?

We want the government to:

• Stop the e-visa scheme.
• Allow people to have physical documents as well as digital proof of their right to be in the UK.
• Talk to affected migrants and migrant groups to create a digital solution that works.