The UK government’s eVisa scheme risks a “digital Windrush scandal” when it comes into effect early next year, according to the Open Rights Group (ORG).

The scheme, which was first announced in 2021, is a digital system that replaces physical immigration documents with an online record of an individual’s immigration status. The eVisa allows users to prove their right to work, rent or stay in the UK without needing a physical document.

It aims to streamline the immigration process and make it more secure by reducing the risk of lost or stolen documents, but ORG has said it could lead to a scenario where people who have the right to be in the UK are unable to prove it.

The campaign group has called for the scheme to be stopped before it comes into effect on 1 January 2025.

Migrants from outside the EU have physical documents to prove their immigration status such as biometric residence permits (BRPs), biometric residence cards, or stamps or stickers in passports. By 31 December, they will...