The First Obstacle After “Yes”

This is the thirteenth post in our ‘Diary of an estranged Briton’, detailing the journey taken by our Vice Chair, Lloyd Hobbard-Mitchell, his wife, Susi and their son, Sebastian.

For all its technological advances, the future seems far more complicated than a simple stamp in a passport.

It seems strange that after ll the literal documents we produced, scanned, and uploaded, we don’t get a stamp in the passport – rather, a code on the screen.

Date: Late April 2026
Stage: Accessing the eVisa

When the email arrived confirming that the visa had been granted, the feeling was immediate and overwhelming.

Relief.
Joy.
Something long hoped for, finally made real.

For more than two years, this had been an abstract goal — something we were working towards, planning for, sacrificing for. And suddenly, it wasn’t abstract anymore. It was real. It had happened.

But as is so often the case in this process, one stage ends and another begins almost immediately.

When Reality Meets Technology

Following the instructions in the decision email, the next step was to access the eVisa through a UKVI account.

This required using the “UK Immigration: ID Check app” – availible on the Apple App Store and the Android Playstore.

On paper, it is straightforward:

Download the app
Scan the biometric chip in the passport using NFC
Complete facial recognition
Link the visa to the account

In practice, it wasn’t quite so simple.

The app was not compatible on Susi’s phone.

Sebastian’s phone did not work either.

Both devices were too old — lacking the required NFC capability needed to scan the biometric chip in the passport. A small detail, perhaps, but one that immediately became a barrier.

A Moment of Panic

There was a brief but very real moment of panic.

After everything — the work, the waiting, the cost, the documentation — it felt almost surreal that something as simple as a phone specification could stand in the way.

This is something the system doesn’t always account for.

Not everyone has access to the latest technology. Not everyone is operating with up-to-date devices, particularly when managing finances across two countries under pressure.

And yet, at that moment, it mattered.

Solving It — 9,000 Kilometres Apart

A solution was found.

Another phone was sourced — one capable of running the app and reading the passport chip.

From there, it became a shared effort.

Working across a distance of approximately 9,000 kilometres, Susi and I coordinated the process step by step. Screenshots were taken, sent, reviewed. Instructions relayed. Progress checked and rechecked.

It was slow, careful, and at times slightly tense — but it worked.

Eventually, the passport was successfully scanned. The identity confirmed.

The account created.

And finally — the visa itself became visible.

Where We Now Stand

All requested documents have been submitted in full, within the required timeframe.

The application now returns to the UK Decision Making Centre for assessment.

At this point, everything that can reasonably be evidenced has been provided: