Interviewing Community Members: Challenges and Resilience in Navigating eVisa (Part II)
Note: This article isn’t a step-by-step guide for applying for an eVisa. Instead, we’ve interviewed two members of our community to share their experiences and reflections. Click here to read Part I, where another ESEA member Florence Yilmaz shares her experience.
Adapting Through Community Resources Amid Confusion
- Interviewing Cielo Tilan, the Chairperson of the Filipino Domestic Workers Association (FDWA)
One day in the last week of October, a friend told me about the eVisa after attending an information workshop by Kalayaan.
“What is it? I haven’t heard of it!”, I said. “I didn’t receive any reminder emails from the UK government.” I came to the UK in 2002 and got my permanent residence in 2010. My proof of indefinite leave to remain is just a stamp on my old passport.
I’m confused because there’s so much conflicting information out there. I heard that people like me need to apply for a physical BRP card before they can apply for the eVisa. Some say you can be fined for not replacing the stamp with a BRP card, and others say it costs £600 to get one. I’ve also heard that if I send my passport with the ILR stamp, the processing time could take anywhere from a few weeks to six months.
Right now, I’m back home in the Philippines and planned to spend Christmas with my family. But because the eVisa policy takes effect in January 2025 and I haven’t sorted it out yet, I’ll need to cut my time here short and return to the UK in mid-December. This way, I can avoid any risks with the new policy at the UK airports and make sure the Home Office is still open before the holidays to process my application.
I’ll definitely need help with the application. Maybe I’ll attend some workshops organized by community groups. Many people who, like me, came to the UK in the early 2000s and have been long-term residents struggle with using computers and technology. It’s great that younger people from the communities are helping out. One of my friends paid thousands of pounds to a solicitor to help with the digital transition. She’s not very good with technology and was scared she might make a mistake and face serious consequences.
I’ve never had any issues re-entering the UK before, but just thinking about how to get this done before next year gives me a headache. The whole process is so unclear for people like me who only have a residency stamp in their passport. I also worry about the possibility of losing my phone or running out of battery at the airport. Having to present your visa at immigration control while your phone is dead is nothing like dealing with transport E-tickets or electronic payments, which can be solved more easily.
Our Perspective
Yilmaz and Tilan are just some of the individuals struggling with the Home Office's digitalisation efforts. Many migrants still find applying for an eVisa challenging, including obtaining access to their right-to-reside share code, which is necessary for their employers, landlords, and others. While the push for technological advancement and digitalisation aims to create a more efficient and effective bureaucracy, the ‘how-to’ process is not well disseminated and creates hurdles for migrants who lack digital literacy or cannot afford the cost of technology. It is crucial for the government to reconsider its approach and actively consult with broader communities and groups to ensure the eVisa system is effective and accessible before implementing it as the sole solution within such a short timeframe.