The Security Industry Authority (SIA), the UK agency responsible for licensing over 450,000 security professionals, has announced it will not accept eVisas for job applications until critical updates are made to its internal systems. This marks the latest blow to the UK government’s eVisa rollout — a digitalimmigration status system meant to replace physical biometric residence permits.
Although eVisas are designed to provide secure proof of a person’s right to live, work, rent, and claim benefits in the UK, the rollout has triggered confusion across both public and private sectors. Several banks, universities, and even legal institutions have declined to accept them. The Solicitors Regulation Authority has rejected eVisas as valid proof of ID, and some NGOs have reported that families have had child benefit claims denied due to officials refusing the new digital documentation.
Migrants and Refugees Caught in Systemic Gaps
Brian Dickoff, a legal officer at Migrants Organise, criticized the current implementation, saying: “The system is supposed to secure people’s status and protect them from injustices like the Windrush Scandal — but we are seeing the opposite.” He warned that newly granted refugees and legal migrants face hurdles not just from employers, but from government departments that were meant to implement the system.
The Home Office confirmed that the SIA cannot yet integrate eVisas into its licensing process, leaving many applicants — particularly migrants without physical documentation — unable to progress in their job applications.
Calls Grow for Urgent Independent Review
Andreea Dumitrache of the3million, a migrants’ rights group, said: “There’s an urgent need for an independent review of the eVisa system and how it has been rolled out. The current flaws are already excluding eligible people from basic services and employment.”
Despite these issues, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) maintains that it accepts eVisas as valid proof of immigration status. “An eVisa does not impact someone’s entitlement to DWP benefits,” a DWP spokesperson insisted.
Meanwhile, the Home Office stated that it continues to work with the SIA to integrate the new digital system, emphasizing its support for eVisas in principle — even if implementation remains a challenge.
