Thousands of Kenyans living and working in the United Kingdom are facing mounting anxiety over a new digital-only immigration system that is causing significant barriers to proving their legal right to be in the country. The shift, which replaces physical documents with a mandatory electronic visa (eVisa), has been plagued by technical glitches and errors, according to a damning report.

This transition directly impacts the nearly 140,000 Kenya-born residents in the UK, many of whom rely on their legal status to work, rent homes, and access essential services. The study by Migrant Voice and the University of Warwick highlights a system creating high levels of stress and fear, leaving individuals unable to secure their livelihoods.

Digital Fears Echo Past Betrayals

The core of the new system requires migrants to use an online portal to generate a "share code" to prove their status to employers and landlords. However, the report found this process is fraught with technical failures, shifting deadlines, and errors that individuals did not cause. Many participants in the study expressed a deep distrust of the government's digital archives, citing the Windrush scandal as a reason to fear that their digital records could simply vanish.

One person interviewed for the study noted, "I don’t trust the system, especially because of what Windrush showed us that trusting the government for migration archives is not very trustful." This sentiment underscores the vulnerability felt by many who fear losing everything due to a system error they cannot control.

The 'Share Code' Struggle

For Kenyans in the UK, the practical implications are already being felt. The inability to generate a share code has cost people job opportunities and created chaos at borders and rental agencies. The study revealed a widespread lack of understanding of the new digital checks among employers, airline staff, and even border officials, forcing migrants to explain the system themselves.

Key problems identified in the report include:

• Technical Glitches: Users have been locked out of their accounts or have found incorrect information on their profiles.
• Complex Processes: Many find the system difficult to navigate, with unclear instructions from the Home Office.
• Lack of Alternatives: The digital-only nature of the system risks excluding those with limited digital literacy or language barriers, with no physical alternative provided.
• Inadequate Support: Attempts to get help from official helplines often leave people more confused.

Dr. Derya Ozkul from the University of Warwick warned about the consequences of a mandatory, digital-only system without alternatives. "In our research, we heard from individuals losing employment opportunities, missing flights... and worrying that they had lost their legal status," she stated, emphasizing the report should serve as a serious warning.

As the UK pushes forward with its digital transition, the onus falls on thousands of Kenyans to navigate a flawed system where the stakes include their homes, their jobs, and their future in the country. The lack of a physical backup document leaves many feeling perpetually one glitch away from crisis.