This guide explains UK eVisas in simple terms. You will learn what an eVisa is, who needs one, how to get one, how to use it to prove your rights, and how to fix common problems. It follows the same clear tone you find on GOV.UK and Citizens Advice. It is written for people who want straight answers. No legal jargon.
What is a UK eVisa?
A UK eVisa is a digital record of your immigration permission held by the Home Office. It shows the type of leave you have, the start and end dates, and any conditions (for example, “no recourse to public funds” or “work permitted”). It replaces most physical documents, like Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and visa vignettes in passports. You access your eVisa through a secure UKVI account and prove your status online with a share code.
Key point: the eVisa is not an app or a file on your phone. It is an online status that organisations can check in real time.
Read the official GOV.UK eVisa guide.
Who needs an eVisa?
Most people with UK immigration permission now need an eVisa, including workers, students, family route visa holders, Skilled Workers, Global Talent, and many others. People with indefinite leave to remain (settlement) can also get an eVisa so they can prove their status online.
BRP cards and similar physical permits are being phased out. If you relied on a BRP to prove your status, you should move to an eVisa and link it to your current passport.
What does an eVisa let you do?
Your eVisa is the Home Office’s official record of your rights. With it, you can:
- Show the right to work to an employer (using a share code)
- Show the right to rent to a landlord or letting agent
- Prove your immigration status for benefits, banking, studies, and other checks
- Travel in and out of the UK (combined with your valid passport)
Employers, landlords, and other checkers confirm your status online with your share code and date of birth. They should not ask to see a BRP or vignette if your status is digital.
Service to check someone’s immigration status with a share code
Quick glossary
- UKVI account: Your secure account to view your eVisa, update details, and create share codes.
- Share code: A short code you generate to let someone check your status for a specific purpose (e.g., work or rent). It expires after a limited time.
- Vignette: A sticker in your passport used in the old system. Many new applicants will not get one.
- BRP: Biometric Residence Permit card. Being phased out in favour of eVisas.
How to get your eVisa
You usually get an eVisa as part of a visa or settlement application. If you already have permission and a BRP, you can create a UKVI account and claim your eVisa. If you have settlement or an older document, you can move to an eVisa by proving who you are and linking your identity to your account.
Step-by-step: set up your UKVI account
- Go to the official service: Set up your UKVI account.
- Enter your personal details and follow the identity checks. You may need your passport and any previous Home Office reference numbers.
- Link your passport: this is important for travel and checks at the border.
- Once set up, sign in to view your eVisa and check the details are correct.
If you have settlement (ILR)
People with indefinite leave to remain can also get an eVisa. You create a UKVI account, prove your identity, and then your status becomes digital. This makes it easier to prove your rights without sending documents or visiting offices.
Help if you are not confident online
There is free help for people who need support to apply online or set up a UKVI account. This is called “assisted digital” support.
Get help to apply online or set up access to an eVisa
How to access your eVisa
To view your eVisa, sign in to your UKVI account. You can see your type of leave, start and end dates, and any conditions. Always keep your email, phone number, and passport details up to date in your account. If you change passport, update your UKVI account before you travel.
View and prove your immigration status
How to prove your status with a share code
When an employer, landlord, university, or another organisation needs to check your status, you do not send screenshots. Instead:
- Go to your UKVI account and choose “Prove your status”.
- Select the purpose (right to work, right to rent, or another reason).
- Generate a share code and give it to the person checking, with your date of birth.
- They enter the code at the official checker service and see your status directly from the Home Office.
Travelling with an eVisa
Before you travel, log in to your UKVI account and check your eVisa dates and conditions. Make sure the passport you will use for travel is the one linked to your account. If you have a new passport, update your account so the border systems match your details.
Airlines and border officers check your permission digitally. You should carry your valid passport and may be asked questions, but you do not need to show a BRP or vignette if your status is recorded as an eVisa. Some applicants may still receive a short-term entry vignette depending on the route and country, but for many visas the eVisa replaces this.
Home Office updates on the move to eVisas
Right to work and right to rent with an eVisa
Employers and landlords must use the online service to confirm your rights if you have an eVisa. They should not insist on a BRP. You give them a share code for the correct purpose:
- Right to work share code for jobs
- Right to rent share code for renting property
- Other checks for studies, benefits, and services
If a checker is unsure, send them the official link to the online checker and explain that your status is digital. This is the current standard process.
Use a share code to check status
What changed from BRPs and vignettes?
Previously, many visa holders used a BRP card or a passport vignette to prove their status. The government is replacing these with digital records. During the transition, there were grace periods for travel and verification. The aim is for most checks to be fully digital now.
People who still hold an old BRP should move to an eVisa and keep their UKVI account details current. This avoids problems when the physical document expires or is no longer accepted for checks.
Parliament Commons Library briefing on replacing residence permits with eVisas · GOV.UK BRP information
Common questions (FAQs)
Do I still need to carry documents?
Carry your valid passport. Your eVisa is checked digitally. You do not usually need to carry a BRP or vignette if your status is digital. Some routes or countries may still issue vignettes for entry, but the core proof of status is your eVisa.
What if I change my passport or contact details?
Update your UKVI account as soon as you get a new passport, new email address, or new phone number. If your passport details do not match the eVisa record, you may face delays at the border or during checks.
Manage your details in your UKVI account
How long do share codes last?
Share codes are time-limited for your security. If a code expires, generate a new one from your UKVI account.
I have ILR from years ago. Can I get an eVisa?
Yes. If you have settlement (indefinite leave to remain), you can set up a UKVI account and move to a digital status. You will need to confirm your identity and link your passport to your account.
Can I still show a BRP to my new employer?
Employers are expected to use the digital check if you have an eVisa. If you only have a BRP from the old system, you should move to an eVisa as soon as possible so your status can be checked online.
BRP guidance · Set up your UKVI account
What if an organisation refuses to accept my eVisa?
Send them the official checker link and explain that your status is digital. If a government body, employer, bank, or landlord still refuses, ask for the reason in writing and explain you have followed the official process. You can raise a complaint with the organisation and, if needed, seek advice from Citizens Advice.
Official status checker · Citizens Advice: getting an online immigration status (eVisa)
Is an eVisa the same as the UK ETA?
No. The ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is for short visits by certain nationalities who do not need a visa. An eVisa is a digital record of a visa or permission to stay. If you live, work, or study in the UK, you will rely on an eVisa, not an ETA.
Can I download my eVisa to my phone?
No. Your eVisa is stored by the Home Office. You access it online through your UKVI account. You can take screenshots for your own records, but checkers must use the live online service.
I cannot access my UKVI account. What should I do?
Use the account recovery options first. If you still cannot sign in, use the support links on the GOV.UK eVisa pages. If you need help online, use the assisted digital service. If your details like email or phone have changed, you may need to verify again.
UKVI account support · Get help applying or setting up access
What if my eVisa details are wrong?
Sign in to your UKVI account and look for the option to report a mistake. Provide clear details and any evidence. Keep copies of your submission. If the error blocks work or rent checks, explain this in your report and ask for urgent review.
Step-by-step checklists
Moving from a BRP to an eVisa
- Sign up or sign in to your UKVI account.
- Link your current passport to your account.
- Check your personal details and contact info.
- Confirm your visa type and dates look right.
- Test it: generate a right to work share code to ensure the system shows the correct status.
- Tell your employer or landlord that you now use digital checks.
Preparing to travel
- Check your eVisa end date and conditions.
- Make sure the passport you will travel on is linked in your account.
- If you recently renewed your passport, update your UKVI account before you fly.
- Carry your valid passport. Keep your UKVI account login handy in case you need to show details.
Starting a new job
- Generate a right to work share code in your UKVI account.
- Give the code and your date of birth to your employer.
- Check the employer used the official checker. If they ask for a BRP, explain your status is digital and provide the link to the checker.
Troubleshooting and edge cases
My name is spelled differently on my passport and eVisa
Update your UKVI account so that your name matches your passport. If the difference is due to marriage or other legal change, upload evidence as directed. For border checks, the passport must match the eVisa record.
I changed nationality or got a new passport number
Log in and update your passport details. You may need to re-verify your identity. Do this well before travel.
I have an older type of status with paper documents
Many older forms of evidence are no longer used for checks. You should move to an eVisa by creating a UKVI account and proving your identity. If you are unsure which documents you have, seek advice and use the official guidance.
My employer or landlord cannot see my conditions
Make sure you created the right type of share code (work vs rent). Each code reveals only what is needed for that check. Generate a fresh code for the correct purpose and share again.
I am asked for an eVisa but my route is not yet digital
Some routes moved first, others later. Follow the latest GOV.UK update page to see how your route works today. If your route still issues vignettes or a temporary document, keep that safe and follow any extra steps they tell you to take.
Accessibility and support
If you have trouble using digital services, the government provides assisted digital support. You can get help to fill in forms, set up your UKVI account, and move to an eVisa. This support does not give legal advice but can help you complete online steps.
Find assisted digital support · Citizens Advice guide to eVisas
Security and privacy
Your UKVI account protects your details. Use a strong password and keep your email secure. Share codes are time-limited and show only the information needed for the check. Never send screenshots of your account as proof. Always use the share code system.
Planning ahead: renewals and status changes
Check your eVisa end date and set reminders to extend your permission in time. When your visa type changes (for example, Student to Skilled Worker, or limited leave to settlement), your UKVI account will show your new status once the Home Office decides. After any change, generate a new share code for employers or landlords, as old codes may no longer be valid or may not show the right conditions.
For employers, landlords, and organisations
If you are checking someone’s status, use the official checker and the share code they provide. Do not ask to see a BRP if the person has a digital status. Record your check results in line with your legal duties (for example, right to work follow-up dates for time-limited permission). Train staff so they understand eVisas and do not discriminate.
Known rollout issues and how to reduce risk
As with any large change, some people have faced problems where organisations were slow to accept eVisas or had outdated processes. If this happens:
- Provide the official checker link and explain your status is digital.
- Ask for the reason for refusal in writing and keep a record.
- Escalate within the organisation and, if needed, seek advice from Citizens Advice or a regulated adviser.
- Make sure your account details and passport link are current to avoid avoidable errors.
Practical advice from Citizens Advice
Checklist: is your eVisa ready?
- I can sign in to my UKVI account
- My email and phone number are current
- My current passport is linked in the account
- I know how to generate a share code for work or rent
- I have checked my conditions and key dates
Useful official links
- Set up a UKVI account (GOV.UK)
- View or prove your status / create share code (GOV.UK)
- Check someone’s status with a share code (GOV.UK)
- Biometric Residence Permits (GOV.UK)
- Get help applying online or setting up access (GOV.UK)
- Updates on the move to eVisas (Home Office)
- Citizens Advice: getting an online immigration status (eVisa)
- Independent Monitoring Authority: UKVI & Share Codes factsheet (PDF)
- Commons Library briefing: replacement of residence permits with eVisas
Summary
An eVisa is your digital proof of UK immigration status. Create or sign in to your UKVI account, link your current passport, and use share codes to prove your rights. Keep your details updated and use the official online checker for work, rent, and other checks. If a problem arises, refer the organisation to the GOV.UK services and seek advice if needed. Going digital should make proof faster, safer, and easier once everything is set up.