<\/p>\n
The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced that it will launch an Electronic Visa (E-Visa) system from Wednesday, January 1, 2025.<\/p>\n
In a communiqu\u00e9 to Ghana\u2019s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the British High Commission confirmed that the E-Visa system will replace all physical visa documents, including visas stamped in passports. This system will also replace Biometric Residence Permits (BRP) and Biometric Residence Cards (BRC).<\/p>\n
\u201cThese documents, which are used to prove the immigration status of individuals legally permitted to stay in the UK for more than six (6) months, will no longer be valid after December 31, 2024,\u201d the communiqu\u00e9 stated.<\/p>\n
The High Commission advised individuals travelling outside the UK, especially during the Christmas season, to apply for and obtain their E-Visas before December 31, 2024, to avoid any complications upon re-entering the UK.<\/p>\n
The UK government\u2019s official website outlines how to apply for an E-Visa. From January 1, 2025, Ghanaians wishing to travel to the UK will need to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access their E-Visa.<\/p>\n
Starting January 2025, UKVI will replace physical documents with an online record for verifying the immigration status of foreign nationals living in the UK.<\/p>\n
Here are the things one needs to create a UKVI account:<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 Smartphone or laptop<\/p>\n
\u2022 Identity Document – either a passport or a BRP<\/p>\n
\u2022 An application number, which is created during the application process, or a BRP number<\/p>\n
\u2022 Date of Birth<\/p>\n
\u2022 Email address<\/p>\n
\u2022 Mobile phone number<\/p>\n
\u2022 Access to the UK Immigration ID Check app, which is available on Google Play Store or App Store<\/p>\n
How to create a UKVI account:<\/b><\/p>\n
1. Go to gov.uk\/evisa to create a UKVI account service. Fill in the details and click Create Account. After this, a confirmation email will be sent confirming that the account has been created.<\/p>\n
2. Confirm identity by using the UK Immigration ID Check app and following the instructions.<\/p>\n
3. Link the account to E-Visa by completing all sections on the task list and confirming the declaration before clicking submit. An email will be sent when the E-Visa is ready to view.<\/p>\n
4. Once the account is created, the E-Visa will be linked to the identity document used in the creation of the UKVI account.<\/p>\n
Watch a video of the process below:<\/b><\/p>\n