UK resident stranded in Spain after eVisa misidentification

A legally settled UK resident was temporarily stranded at a Spanish airport after the Home Office's post-Brexit electronic eVisa system confused her identity with that of her identical twin sister.

Nidia Webb, a UK resident for eight years, was stopped at the departure gate and blocked from boarding her return flight after her digital settled status became incorrectly linked to her twin's records. Officials told Webb the flaw was a known technical issue affecting twins within the digital immigration framework. Although Home Office staff resolved the discrepancy over the phone, officials still mistakenly sent a confirmation email to her sister.

The incident comes amid broader concerns over the reliability of the eVisa system. A Home Office spokesperson said more than 10 million individuals have successfully used eVisas, adding that the department remains committed to data accuracy and resolves most rare technical errors within 24 hours. 

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