Harnessing Digital ID? Evidence on eVisas, Share Codes and Digital Immigration Status

In the summer of 2025, the Home Affairs Committee launched an inquiry “to explore the potential benefits and risks of the use of government-issued digital ID”.

This submission draws on interviews with over 40 migrants, as part of a collaborative research project funded by the ESRC Digital Good Network, “Digitising Identity: Navigating the Digital Immigration System and Migrant Experiences.” This was a joint initiative between Open Rights Group, Migrant Voice and academic researchers Dr Derya Ozkul (University of Warwick/Oxford) and Dr Marie Godin (University of Leicester/Oxford).

The project examined the introduction of eVisas and share codes for migrants to verify their immigration status. It found that migrants have effectively been used as test cases for digital ID systems, and their experiences reveal important lessons for policymakers, which the Home Affairs Committee should take into account when considering digital ID for all UK citizens.

The main problems identified included:

• System errors and technical failures
• Inaccessible design
• Amplified burden of proof
• Exclusion from employment, housing and travel
• Lack of transparency
• No effective support or appeal process
• Erosion of trust and growing distress among migrants

Read the full submission here.