Protect eVisa holders: Support amendments to the Civil Aviation Bill
Millions of UK residents relying on digital eVisas face being wrongly denied boarding and refused compensation under current UK passenger rights rules (UK261). When automated verification checks fail, airlines can classify passengers as "inadequately documented" - leaving passengers stranded abroad and bearing the cost of travel disruption, despite holding valid immigration status.
We think it is unacceptable that the burden of proof is on passengers with digital-only status to prove their rights when airlines systems fail - even though carriers have various options at their disposal if the automated systems linking directly to your passport (or other travel document) don't work, such as accepting your share code or checking with the Carrier Support Hub.
Update - The Aviation Minister has responded to our letter asking for better protections for eVisa holders
The Transport Minister has responded to the joint letter from the3million and ILPA, which asked the Government to introduce an amendment to the Civil Aviation Bill offering better consumer protections for eVisa holders.
The Minister’s response suggests that the Civil Aviation Bill gives more powers to introduce secondary legislation to provide protections in the future, but states that the Government will not amend the Bill now, nor does it commit to introducing such secondary legislation.
The Minister’s response was not what we had wished for, but there is still hope. We need to keep trying to persuade backbenchers to lay an amendment, so that Parliament can debate eVisa protections.
The Minister’s letter sets out the current (lengthy) process for claiming compensation after a denied boarding. But this misses the point that airlines simply state someone was not “adequately documented” to completely sidestep their compensation obligations.
In the age of digital-only status, “adequately documented” desperately needs proper definition. That is what our proposed amendment is calling for. People who are denied boarding on this basis can incur hundreds of pounds in costs for additional accommodation, food and flights.
You can help us change the compensation protections for everyone who holds an eVisa. We have revised our email template to reflect our new strategy and to keep the momentum around eVisa consumer rights.
What the3million has done so far
- Regulatory advocacy: We gathered case studies and engaged with the Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA), which confirmed its intention to raise these concerns with the Civil Aviation Authority. (Read the IMA’s letter to the3million)
- Proposed legislative amendment: We drafted a specific amendment to the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill setting clear verification rules for carriers before they can claim inadequate documentation. (Read proposed amendment & briefing)
- Direct ministerial engagement: We sent a joint letter with the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) to Aviation Minister Keir Mather MP urging government support. (Read joint letter to the Aviation Minister)
- Parliamentary intervention: We secured direct parliamentary intervention when Graham Leadbitter MP (SNP) raised our proposed amendment during the Second Reading debate in Parliament. (Watch 1.5-minute parliamentary speech recording or read the debate in Hansard)
Write to Your MP Today!
MPs are deciding over the next few weeks what amendments they will support to the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill that is currently going through Parliament. This is the moment when your voice can shape what goes into the legislation, as we seek to gather MP support for an amendment.
That’s why we’re asking you to write to your MP.
- What to do: Contact your local MP immediately and ask them to help secure an amendment to the Civil Aviation Bill that protects eVisa holders.
- Why it is urgent: The Civil Aviation Bill Committee Stage ended on 22 October 2026, this is when a small committee of MPs look at a bill in detail. The Transport Minister wrote to the3million and ILPA that the Government do not intend to amend the Bill to create better protections for eVisa users. But the next stage is Report Stage, where all MPs get the chance to submit amendments to be debated. We need to continue this momentum to encourage back-bench MPs for support.
We’ve created a template letter for you, with all the information you need. All you need to do is add a line about your personal situation and send it to your MP without delay (please remember to cc [email protected])!
Please write to your MP as soon as you can. Your message could help secure the protections fellow eVisa holders have been waiting for!
How to Write to Your MP!
If you are not sure of the process for writing to your MP, please get in touch with a member of staff at the3million. We are here to support you to have your voice heard. We know that MPs prioritise personalised messages from their constituents so it is important to include why it matters to you to have better protection for travelling.
- Find your MP on the Parliament website. Enter your postcode in the search bar underneath ‘Name, postcode or location’.
- Click on your MP’s profile and scroll down to the ‘Contact information’ section, where you will find an email address. Some MPs also list their constituency office details. Parliament has published an FAQ on contacting your MP.
- Open the template letter and copy and paste the text into a new email. Use the subject line from the template for your message, and include your postcode in the body so your MP can confirm you are a constituent.
- Complete the sections in red with your own personal experience, or your reasons for asking your MP to take an interest in this topic.
- Add your MP’s email address to the ‘To’ field. Then copy and paste [email protected] into the ‘Cc’ field of the same email.
All done! You have just made your voice heard by your MP.