RetireJapan

My husband (Japanese) has Permanent Residency status in the UK which he obtained in the 1990s. When we left the UK last year the only requirement for him to maintain this PR status, as far as we were aware, was to visit the UK every two years.
It seems that according to the following news article:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/art ... r-deadline
he will need to apply (from this Summer) for an e-visa via an Immigration (UKVI) digital account. To open an Immigration digital account he will need a biometric number. Unfortunately, my husband hasn’t got a biometric card / number as to re-enter the UK after traveling (latest 2022) he has always relied on the PR stamp he has in his old 1990s passport. It appears that in order to get a biometric card, he needs to be in the UK and the application process to get one can take up to 6 months.
I’m guessing there are very few people on this forum that are in a similar position, but I thought I’d post here just to make UK permanent resident permit holders aware of potential issues.
I’d be grateful for any advice!

It looks like quite a predicament. I'm no visa expert, this is just my understanding from reading the article you linked and the info on gov.uk.

There is an official factsheet from the Home Office, which says:

It is free, and straightforward for customers who hold physical and paper documents to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa

But that doesn't seem to be the case, as as you pointed out it seems you need to both be in the UK, and have to apply for a "No Time Limit Biometric Residence Permit" first.

There is more promising information in the "eVisas Legacy Document Guide (April 2024)" PDF linked from that factsheet. I can't provide a direct link to it (hosted on "brandworkz" ) but you can look for it here or here's a direct link to a copy I put on the wiki instead:

Later in 2024, the Home Office will take steps to launch a revised No Time Limit
application process which provides an eVisa directly, without issuing a BRP. Further
information on the new process will be available at www.gov.uk/evisa. Until then, if
customers hold a legacy document there is no reason to delay making a No Time Limit
application.

So waiting for more information might be the best course of action.

It also seems that not having an eVisa will be an inconvenience rather than a denial of entry:

Although customers will not lose their immigration status if they do not take action to
create a UKVI account to access their eVisa, as the border and immigration system
becomes digital by default, they are likely to find it increasingly challenging to easily
prove their rights, and may face unnecessary delays when attempting to do so.

Thank you so much Adamu for this information. It looks like he may have to visit a UKVCAS (there is one in Tokyo) to have photo and fingerprints taken at some point so that he can get the eVisa. Strange they don’t seem to provide information for non UK residents but as you say it may be worth waiting a little so that he can apply directly for the eVisa rather than get a card now.