If border control pulls me aside and demands my proof of residency, and I can’t access the internet, I may be stuck in a small room for hours or days,
How likely are you to not be able to access the internet at a UK border you might be traveling through? Seriously.
Also, have you heard of a download for offline usage?
How likely are you to not be able to access the internet at a UK border you might be traveling through? Seriously.
There’s been quite a few times where I’ve not been able to access the internet through my phone at major airports in the UK. Heathrow, Luton, Glasgow. I didn’t have an active UK SIM I wasn’t able to get net connection through the WiFi as they were overloaded/having issues. This is not uncommon.
Also, have you heard of a download for offline usage?
See, it’s not a multi-use thing, it’s not like a membership card or a boarding pass or a credit card. It’s a code that’s generated by logging into the .gov site, and is only valid for a single use, and a limited time.
Seems to me that they’re are easy solutions to your scenarios.
Ask to use their WiFi that isn’t overloaded. Get a working SIM before you travel (eSim perhaps?). Download the one time code and screenshot it. If it’s a code like the DVLA driver license check then it doesn’t matter how you’ve saved it. Only that the code is valid when they enter it. Write it down on a piece of paper if you have to.
Ultimately it’s on you to understand the requirements to travel to any country you visit and have the correct paperwork. And if you can’t do that… well 🤦♂️.
I don’t quite understand why you are dismissing this person’s concerns like this. The codes are available for a very short period so there is a chance that if there is a WiFi or other network outage they genuinely could not get to the code.
It’s also not as though the UK has the best record when it comes to managing immigrants despite their promises.
You are welcome to do a quick google on what happened to Windrush immigrants, the trouble that EU immigrants have had post-brexit, and UKVI’s general rules, wait times, and fees. Much like the US, the UK’s immigration policy has been made highly hostile to many forms of immigration, limiting options for families and managing to bungle things at several junctures.
I agree that it is hard to put faith in a system like this where your immigration status relies on the availability of a network or even a single government site with no physical or offline backups.
