Imagine you urgently need a job, or are looking for a place to live, and as part of the process you need to prove you have the right to live in the UK. But your passport is no longer enough, and you have no biometric residence card as proof – just a code to enter into the Home Office database. Just as the landlord or employer logs on to check your ID, the system crashes, and you are passed over for someone else whose proof is easier to check.
And that’s not all – to get that code in the first place, you need not only your passport but also access to the right email address or mobile number that the status was originally linked to. If someone else helped you set this up, perhaps years ago, can you imagine the stress of trying to deal with the Home Office website just to prove you have the right to live and work?
That may be part of daily life for many EU citizens after 31 December this year, as the only group of foreign residents in the UK with a digital-only immigration status and no backup option of physical proof.
the3million is inviting you to our webinar and Q&A on why EU citizens should have the option for physical proof of immigration status. We’re meeting on Zoom, Thursday 27 August at 7pm – please register by filling in this form.
The panel will be chaired by Luke Piper (the3million) and include Emily McCarron from Age UK who will explain the consequences of a digital-only scheme for older EU citizens, Monique Hawkins from the3million, Ian Robinson from Fragomen, and Ollie Persey from the Public Law Project. There will be short statements at the beginning, and plenty of time to ask questions.
The webinar is open to all and will be recorded and live streamed on the3million’s social media. If you have any difficulties receiving your registration details, please email research@the3million.org.uk.
