Jorge Gomez, a 29-year-old community worker, has been legally allowed to live and work in the UK since receiving refugee status in December 2022 after fleeing political persecution in Nicaragua. His need for a digital confirmation of his immigration status became urgent when the Home Office required all foreign nationals to transition to an eVisa system before the end of 2024. Despite applying three times for his eVisa starting in early November, persistent technical issues meant that Gomez could not secure the digital document, effectively canceling his planned January trip to visit family.
Gomez’s ordeal, characterized by emails from the Home Office promising resolution while the problems lingered, reflects a larger pattern of digital administrative failures. Even after his eVisa issues were eventually resolved following media intervention, his case was compounded by a previous 15-month struggle to generate a share code—another vital piece of digital evidence required to verify his immigration status for landlords and employers. This repeated experience of technical setbacks left him feeling frustrated and robbed of the opportunity to reconnect with family he hadn’t seen in over seven years.
The wider repercussions of these eVisa issues are becoming increasingly apparent as foreign nationals report difficulties in accessing essential services such as banking and housing, and even challenges boarding flights to the UK. Citizens' rights advocates, including Andreea Dumitrache of The3million, have condemned the situation as emblematic of an inherently flawed system that undermines personal freedoms and exacerbates insecurity among migrants. They have urged government ministers to introduce a physical backup for the eVisa, aiming to prevent further personal and systemic harm. Meanwhile, a Home Office spokesperson maintained that the digital system offers significant advantages in security and efficiency, promising continued efforts to support those encountering difficulties.
8 Comments
Noir Black
I’m tired of hearing about how digital innovation is flawless. Jorge’s ordeal shows that we need to balance modern technology with humane policies.
KittyKat
I think blaming digital issues on the system is a cheap scapegoat – if you're not tech-savvy, maybe you should have better support rather than complaining about the entire process.
Matzomaster
I find it ironic that the same people who praise efficiency now disparage it when it doesn't work perfectly for every single person.
Rotfront
Thank you for highlighting this issue. Immigration systems should protect not hinder, and clearly, something isn’t working as it should.
Karamba
The government promised a digital system for a reason. If you don’t like the adjustment period, maybe more digital literacy programs would help.
KittyKat
It’s appalling that technical errors are affecting crucial areas like housing, banking, and family visits. The government must take responsibility.
BuggaBoom
This article captures the human cost of flawed digital administration perfectly. We must fight for a system that cares about people, not just stats.
Loubianka
It's not about personal freedoms being undermined; it's about updating outdated processes. Everyone has to adapt in this digital age.