In the drive to go digital across all boards, the Home Office has introduced a new set of immigration guidelines following the UK’s exit from the EU or Brexit. An online service has been put in place, which will be in effect from 30th June 2021 for EU, Swiss, and EEA citizens to view and prove their immigration status. And these guidelines have brought along a scare and a situation of unrest for EU citizens.
The ‘digital-only status’ for EU citizens implies that landlords, public service providers, and employers can no longer accept any physical proof- passports and biometric ID cards of EU nationals as evidence of their immigration status or work permit.
According to the Home Office and reports issued by the UK government, the digital-only uk residence permits enable better convenience and security for the holders, EU citizens in this case.
However, numerous expert analysts, reports, and campaigners have alluded at warnings of a crisis that this shift can incur. This translates into a tangible risk of misuse and/or abuse, owing to the volatility of only a server storing the proof of the working and living of millions of EU citizens in the UK.
The Windrush Scandal
The Home Office practices and the British immigration policy were under the radar due to the infamous 2018 Windrush Scandal.
Many individuals have been detained, harassed with deportation, and stripped of their human rights. Many jobs were lost and several civilian lives were irrev