eVisa, BRP and proving your immigration status

The UK has completed its shift from physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) to an entirely digital immigration system. Your eVisa is now the official record of your right to live, work, study and rent in the UK—and you access it through a secure online account managed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Understanding how to set up this account, generate share codes for employers and landlords, and keep your status information accurate is essential for navigating everyday life as a migrant in Britain.

Understanding Your eVisa

An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status held by the Home Office. It shows what type of visa you hold, when it expires, your conditions of stay (for example, whether you can work or study), and your rights to rent, access benefits or use public services like the NHS. Unlike the old BRP card, your eVisa exists only online and is accessed through your UKVI account.

The eVisa system does not change your underlying immigration permission. If you held a five-year work visa on a BRP, your actual leave to remain is unchanged—only the way you prove and access it has moved online. This transition happened automatically for everyone; you don't need to apply for anything or pay a fee.

Setting Up Your UKVI Account and Viewing Your eVisa

A UKVI account is your secure online space where you can view your eVisa, update your personal details, and generate share codes to prove your immigration status to others. Creating an account is free and usually takes just a few minutes.

How to Create Your UKVI Account

Visit gov.uk/evisa to start the process. You will need a valid email address, a phone number, and one of the following identity documents: a current passport, a national ID card, or an expired BRP (if you have one). You'll be asked to download the UK Immigration: ID Check app on a smartphone or tablet and use it to confirm your identity—this usually involves taking a photo of yourself and your travel document.

The app will capture your biometric data to verify you are who you say you are. Once your identity is confirmed, your account will be created and you'll be able to access your eVisa immediately. If you already hold pre-settled or settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme, you likely already have a UKVI account and will simply need to link your eVisa to it.

Viewing Your eVisa Details

Once your account is set up, log in to the View and Prove Your Immigration Status service on gov.uk. You'll see your visa type, expiry date, any conditions of stay (such as restrictions on working or studying), and confirmation of your rights to work, rent or access public services. It's crucial to check these details carefully as soon as you create your account, and again before you travel or start a new job or tenancy.

Your eVisa is linked to the passport or travel document details you register with your UKVI account. If you get a new passport, you must update your account with the new passport number immediately. Without this update, your eVisa may not work properly at borders or during compliance checks.

Share Codes: Proving Your Status to Employers, Landlords and Others

A share code is a unique nine-character alphanumeric code you generate from your UKVI account to let an employer, landlord, bank or other organisation verify your immigration status directly with the Home Office. Instead of handing over your passport or physical documents, you provide the code (together with your date of birth) and the organisation enters it into a secure GOV.UK checking portal to see real-time confirmation from the Home Office database.

Types of Share Codes

There are three types of share codes, each tailored to a specific purpose:

• Work (starting with 'W'): Used when you're starting a new job. Your employer enters it into the Check Right to Work service to verify you are allowed to work in the UK.
• Rent (starting with 'R'): Used when you're applying to rent a property in England. Your landlord or letting agent enters it into the Check Right to Rent service to confirm you're legally able to rent.
• Other (starting with 'S'): Used for any other purpose, such as opening a bank account, applying to university, registering with the NHS, or council tax registration.

When you generate a share code, you'll be shown exactly what information the other party will be able to see—usually your name, visa type, expiry date, and whether you have the relevant right (to work or rent). The organisation you're dealing with cannot access your full eVisa details or any other personal information.

How to Generate a Share Code

Log into your UKVI account and go to the View and Prove Your Immigration Status service. Select the appropriate purpose (Work, Rent, or Other), then generate the code. The system will produce a unique nine-character code valid for 90 days from the date you generate it. You can generate a new code at any time, either before it expires or if a previous code has timed out, and there's no limit to how many codes you can create.

Remember to keep your UKVI login details secure and accessible. If you lose access to your registered email address or phone number, you won't be able to sign in to generate codes, so update these details promptly if they change.

What Employers and Landlords Should Do

Organisations must carry out checks themselves using the official GOV.UK services. They should not ask you for screenshots of your account, your login details, or physical documents. Instead, they enter your share code and date of birth into the appropriate checking portal and receive an instant result pulled directly from Home Office records. They keep a copy of this result page as evidence of a compliant check. If an employer or landlord insists on seeing a physical document or refuses to use the online share code system, they are not following the correct procedure—politely insist on the digital process.

Keeping Your UKVI Account Up to Date

Your UKVI account should be a living record of your current details. Whenever any of the following change, you must update your account immediately using the Update Your UKVI Account Details service on gov.uk:

• Your passport or travel document (including getting a new passport)
• Your name
• Your email address or phone number
• Your address
• Your contact details

Updating these details is free and normally takes just a few minutes. Failure to keep your account current can cause serious problems: your share codes may not work, you could be unable to prove your right to work or rent, you might face delays or refusals when travelling, and you could lose access to your account if the contact details become invalid.

What to Do If Your eVisa Shows Incorrect Information

If you log into your account and notice that details on your eVisa are wrong—such as an incorrect date of birth, the wrong visa end date, your name spelled incorrectly, the wrong immigration status, or any other error—you should report it to the Home Office immediately.

How to Report an Error

Use the Report an Error with Your eVisa form on gov.uk/evisa/report-error-evisa. You'll need to provide your email address or UK postal address, your name, date of birth and nationality as they appear on your eVisa, and either your passport number, BRP number, visa application reference number or UKVI customer number. You can ask someone else—such as a lawyer, employer, university staff member or friend—to submit the form on your behalf if you prefer.

Once you've reported the error, do not call UKVI. The Home Office will contact you by email when the issue has been resolved, normally within 10 working days. You'll receive confirmation of the correction, or a request for further information if needed. Errors are corrected free of charge.

Errors You Cannot Report This Way

The error reporting form is specifically for eVisa details that are factually wrong. If you need to update your own personal information (your name, address, email or phone number) rather than correct an error on the eVisa itself, use the Update Your UKVI Account Details service instead. Similarly, if you're locked out of your account or cannot sign in, use the account recovery service rather than the error form.

If you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme but your eVisa is showing a different status, there is a different process to change this and you should refer to the EU Settlement Scheme guidance on gov.uk.

Common Issues and How to Resolve Them

I Cannot Access My UKVI Account

If you've forgotten your password or cannot sign in, use the account recovery service on gov.uk. You'll need access to the email address or phone number you registered with. If you no longer have access to those contact details, you can use the recovery process to update them. The process takes just a few minutes and you'll be able to sign in again. If you continue to have problems, contact UKVI via webchat on the eVisa page.

My eVisa Shows a Technical Error or Won't Load

Try signing out and signing back in, clearing your browser cache, or trying a different browser. If you can log in but see an error message saying you cannot view your eVisa or generate a share code, try again after a few hours as this may be a temporary system issue. If the problem persists, report it using the error form on gov.uk/evisa/report-error-evisa and describe the exact error message you're seeing.

I've Got a New Passport But Haven't Updated My Account Yet

Update your UKVI account with your new passport number immediately. Your eVisa is linked to the passport details in your account, so if your passport number is out of date, your share codes may not work properly and you could face problems at the border or during compliance checks. You can update this online in minutes using the Update Your UKVI Account Details service.

What Happened to Physical BRP Cards

All Biometric Residence Permits expired on 31 December 2024. These plastic cards were no longer issued after 31 October 2024. If you hold an expired BRP and still have permission to stay in the UK, your actual leave to remain continues unchanged—only the card has expired, not your visa. You should not try to get a replacement BRP; they will not be reissued. Instead, you must create a UKVI account to access your eVisa.

You may keep your expired BRP as it can be used to help prove your identity when setting up your UKVI account or recovering access to it. However, you should not use an expired BRP as proof of your immigration status in any situation—employers, landlords, banks and other organisations must now check your status using a share code linked to your eVisa.

Key Takeaways

1. Create your UKVI account as soon as possible by visiting gov.uk/evisa. It's free and takes just a few minutes.
2. Check your eVisa details carefully once you've set up your account, and before you travel, start work, or apply to rent.
3. Keep your account information up to date, especially your passport number and contact details.
4. Generate purpose-specific share codes (for work, rent, or other) when asked to prove your immigration status. Never share your UKVI login details.
5. If you spot an error on your eVisa, report it immediately using the error form on gov.uk. Do not ignore it and do not call UKVI.
6. If you have an expired BRP, keep it safe but use your eVisa to prove your status going forward.
7. The eVisa system does not change your underlying immigration permission—only how you access and prove it.