According to news released by the British media, the British government plans to completely abandon physical immigration status documents such as the physical version of the Biometric Permit Permit (BRP) and the Biometric Residence Card (BRC) by 2025, and then completely digitize them. Foreigners currently living in the UK can obtain a biometric detention permit in the UK through the Immigration Service. This card is actually similar to an ID card. It has a chip inside and is made of plastic. It contains various information.
The chip stores facial photos and fingerprints, and the information can be obtained by reading the card on supported devices. The physical card can be used in certain scenarios.
However, some countries have completely migrated to electronic, that is, digital certificates. Information is still collected, but it is no longer stored in physical cards and chips. The holder can obtain a digital certificate that supports online verification.
The advantage of this digital certificate is that it can be verified at any time as long as there is a network, and there is no need to carry a physical card. Therefore, the UK also plans to eliminate this traditional physical card and digitize it.
The British government website states that by January 1, 2025, this type of physical card will be completely abandoned. After that, the British Visa and Immigration Service will provide digital certificates for newly applied foreigners. The previous physical card can still be used, but no new physical cards will be issued.
After switching to a digital certificate, the entire application process has become simpler, because there is no need to mail materials and cards. All workflows are completed through the Internet. Applicants can use this type of digital certificate immediately after issuance.