What an eVisa is
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status, held in a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. It replaces the physical documents the Home Office used to issue, such as biometric residence permits (BRPs), vignettes in passports and residence cards. It shows your identity and what rights you have in the UK, for example to work, rent or claim benefits. If you hold a visa, settled status, indefinite leave to remain or a certificate of entitlement, you are expected to have an eVisa. Visitors with an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) do not.
Why it matters
Without an eVisa you can have difficulty proving your right to work, your right to rent a home, your right to study or your right to use the NHS. Airlines and carriers also check eVisas before you travel. Make sure your account works well before you need it, not on the day you start a job or a tenancy.
How to create a UKVI account
You need an email address or phone number to sign in, and a smartphone to confirm your identity with the UK Immigration: ID Check app. You then use one of the following to set up the account or sign in:
- a valid passport or national identity card;
- a biometric residence card (valid or expired) or an expired biometric residence permit;
- your UKVI customer number.
If you cannot sign in, you can ask for help to recover the account, or use webchat for other questions about your eVisa or account.
Share codes
A share code lets someone else see the parts of your status they need. You get one from your UKVI account, and give it, with your date of birth, to the person who needs to check. You do not need to show them your eVisa. They see only some of your personal details, and you are told what they will see when you get the code. There are different codes for different purposes:
- to prove your right to work to an employer;
- to prove your right to rent to a landlord or agent;
- to prove your status for other purposes, such as to a university or a public service, or when you travel.
A share code lasts for 90 days and can be used as many times as needed before it expires. You can get a new one whenever you need one.
When your details are wrong
Update your UKVI account before you get a share code if you have changed your name or nationality, or need to change your photograph because you cannot be recognised from it. Report an error if your eVisa shows the wrong date of birth, name or immigration status, or if you can view your eVisa but cannot get a share code from it. Update your passport details when you renew your passport. An incorrect record can cost you a job offer or a tenancy, so ask for it to be corrected at once and keep a record of what you sent.
If you cannot access an eVisa
Employers and landlords can use other services to check your right to work or rent if you cannot access an eVisa. See right to work checks.
If you need help
If you cannot get into your account, or cannot prove your status, we can help you put it right. Bring your passport, any BRP or old documents and any Home Office letters.
