In a policy paper published on 18 September, the Home Office accepted in full the findings of an Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) review into the Future Border and Immigration System (FBIS)—the multibillion-pound programme underpinning eVisas, the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme and the wider digitisation of the UK border. The government response pledges to tighten benefits-realisation metrics, improve stakeholder engagement and publish clearer timelines for phasing out physical biometric-residence permits, which are already no longer issued to most new visa holders. Officials reiterated that all migrants will transition to eVisas by the end of 2026 and confirmed that a public communications campaign will launch early next year to address employers’, landlords’ and carriers’ verification concerns. For employers and global-mobility teams the statement is a green light to accelerate internal readiness projects: HR systems that currently store BRP expiry dates will need adapting, right-to-work processes must integrate the Home Office share-code portal, and traveller-tracking tools should be updated to recognise ETA references for short-term visitors. Immigration lawyers welcomed the Home Office’s acceptance of ICIBI recommendations but cautioned that technical glitches with the UKVI account platform continue to generate help-desk backlogs. The department says it will expand user-testing cohorts and publish a service-level agreement for error correction by December. Although the announcement introduces no immediate policy changes, it signals renewed ministerial commitment to a fully digital border—making it essential for multinational companies to budget for system upgrades and employee communications over the next 18 months.
Source: Free ILR Calculator news blog
