A European national with UK settled status was prevented from boarding a flight back to Britain due to an error in the Home Office's digital visa system, which mistakenly identified her as her identical twin sister.
Nidia Webb, who has resided in the UK for eight years, was stopped from traveling from Spain earlier this month. The Home Office's eVisa system incorrectly flagged her as not having the right to be in the UK, resulting in her being stranded abroad. The error was only identified after Ms. Webb spent hours on the phone with civil servants.
Initially, the Home Office apologized and stated the issue was rectified. However, the confirmation of the fix was sent to her twin sister's email address, leaving Ms. Webb unaware of the resolution. She eventually boarded another flight home, paying for the ticket herself. Her claim for reimbursement from the Home Office for the additional flight expense is pending, as her travel insurer declined coverage.
This incident underscores persistent problems with the Home Office's eVisa system, which was implemented to replace physical documents like Residence Permit cards, aiming to reduce costs and combat fraud. Campaigners have raised concerns about the system's reliability, particularly its tendency to confuse individuals' immigration statuses. Civil servants informed Ms. Webb that the mix-up with her twin was a known issue.
The broader rollout of the eVisa system faced delays, with its full implementation pushed back by three months at the end of 2024. This delay necessitated a temporary government policy allowing foreign nationals to use expired documents to prove their immigration status. In 2024, reports indicated that over 76,000 individuals had their personal details, including names, photos, and immigration status, mixed up within the Home Office's Person Centric Data Platform database.
Monique Hawkins, acting CEO of the EU citizens' rights group the3million, stated that her organization is aware of numerous cases where immigration statuses have been incorrectly linked to the wrong eVisa. She noted that individuals frequently face denied boarding and difficulties in obtaining compensation, as carriers and the Home Office engage in a blame-shifting process.
The Home Office has stated that the specific issue affecting Ms. Webb has been identified and resolved, and she will be contacted directly by staff. A spokesperson highlighted that over 10 million individuals have successfully used eVisas and affirmed a commitment to data accuracy and accessible safeguards for eVisa users. The department also stated that the majority of identified errors are resolved within 24 hours.