UKVI eVisa and UKVI Account: Practical Guide to the UK's Digital Immigration System
The UK has fundamentally changed how it records and proves immigration status. Physical cards and passport stickers are on their way out. In their place, a digital record - the eVisa - now serves as the primary evidence of your right to live, work, study, or settle in the UK. If you hold any form of UK visa or immigration permission, this guide covers exactly what you need to know about the UKVI eVisa system, the UKVI account, and how to use both without running into trouble.
Key Takeaways
By mid-2025, the Home Office aimed to move most UK visas to eVisas, with immigration status held online instead of on physical cards or stickers. As of late 2026, this transition is largely complete.
Anyone with an eVisa must have their own UKVI account to view and prove their UK immigration status, including children and dependents.
You should never pay to create or access a UKVI account - it is free on the official GOV.UK website and app. Any site charging fees for this service is not official.
Travellers must keep their UKVI account details (passport number, expiry date, nationality) fully up to date before flying to or from the UK to avoid delays or boarding refusals.
Information in this article is based on GOV.UK guidance available up to early October 2026 and is general information, not personalised legal advice.
What the UKVI eVisa System Is (and What It Replaces)
An eVisa is a digital record of immigration status. Rather than a physical card you carry in your wallet or a sticker printed into your passport, your visa details are stored securely in Home Office systems and accessed online. It covers everything from visa type and validity dates to conditions such as whether you can work, rent property, or access public funds.
UKVI stands for UK Visas and Immigration. It is an executive agency of the UK Home Office, responsible for who can visit, study, work, or settle in the UK. The Home Office sets immigration policy while UKVI implements these policies - processing applications, issuing permissions, and now overseeing the transition from physical immigration documents to digital eVisas. UKVI also evaluates requests for sponsor licences from employers and educational institutions, manages the UK asylum system, and processes applications for British citizenship. UKVI handles millions of applications each year across all these categories.
Here is what the eVisa system means in practice:
An eVisa is issued for a wide range of UK visas - work visas, study visas, family visas, visitor visas, EU Settlement Scheme grants, and indefinite leave to remain, among others. It holds the same conditions as any physical document it replaces.
eVisas replace all physical immigration documents in the UK. This includes biometric residence permits, biometric residence cards, and visa vignettes (the sticker placed inside passports). The transition eliminates the need for physical visa cards.
Existing physical documents generally remain valid until their printed expiry date. The hard expiry date for most BRPs was 31 December 2024, though expired cards retain limited transitional use for account creation and linking purposes.
From 1 July 2026, the UK stopped issuing vignettes entirely. After that date, every new successful applicant receives digital status only.
Carrying a physical passport is still mandatory for travel. Airlines and border control use it alongside the eVisa record. The eVisa does not replace the need for a passport - it replaces only the document that proved your immigration permission.
The digital transition aims to streamline immigration processes, reduce fraud risks, and eliminate the possibility of losing or having a physical document stolen. As of early 2026, over 10 million people hold an eVisa, including around 6 million with EU Settlement Scheme status.
The move to digital immigration is part of a wider UK immigration modernisation project overseen by UKVI. eVisa updates occur in real time with immigration changes, meaning that when the Home Office grants, extends, or varies your permission, your digital record reflects the change immediately.
Setting Up and Managing Your UKVI Account
A UKVI account is your online portal for viewing your eVisa, checking your UK immigration status, and generating share codes to prove your rights to employers, landlords, and universities. You need a UKVI account to access your eVisa - without one, you cannot view or prove your digital status. UKVI provides digital accounts for applicants to view and manage their immigration status through a single secure sign-in.
Creating a UKVI account is free of charge. Here is how the process works:
Go to the official GOV.UK page for eVisa account creation. The web address will end in ".gov.uk" - confirm this before entering any personal details.
Enter your email address and phone number. You need a phone number and email to set up an account, because the system sends verification codes by SMS or call.
Confirm your identity. Depending on your situation, you will need to link a valid passport, a BRP card (even an expired one), or a visa application reference number (GWF or UAN) to connect your immigration record to the account.
Use the UK Immigration: ID Check app if you are making a new application or updating details. The app scans the biometric chip in your passport or BRP to verify your identity. It does not retain your data after submission. The app is only one part of the wider online application process - you still complete the full application through GOV.UK.
Link your eVisa by entering your document details exactly as they appear on your passport or BRP. On the GOV.UK page, you will typically click a "Continue" or "Link your eVisa" button, then enter your name, date of birth, document number, and nationality. Any mismatch - even a middle name included on one document but not the other - can prevent linking.
Each person, including children, needs their own UKVI account. Spouses, civil partners, and dependents cannot share one login, even if they are on the same visa route.
A few critical points to keep in mind:
UKVI accounts are required to access eVisa information. If you have not yet created one, do so before you need to prove your status for a job, a tenancy, or travel.
Expired BRPs can still be used to create a UKVI account until 31 December 2026, provided they are within the 24-month transitional window. If you still hold an expired BRP card, do not throw it away - it remains useful for identity verification during account setup.
Never pay a third party to "set up" a UKVI account or to "unlock UK visas access." The official service is free, and sites charging fees for account creation are not affiliated with the UK government. Citizens Advice has published warnings about these misleading services.
Keep your account secure by using a unique password, keeping your email and phone number up to date, logging out on shared devices, and responding promptly to security notifications sent by the Home Office.
Using Your UKVI Account to Prove Status, Travel and Fix Errors
Once your UKVI account is set up and correctly linked, it becomes your main tool for proving UK immigration status. Whether an employer needs to verify your right to work, a landlord needs to confirm your right to rent, or a university needs to see your study permissions, the process runs through the same system.
Generating a share code. Sign in to your UKVI account and select "View and prove your immigration status." Choose the specific purpose - right to work, right to rent, or right to study - and the system will generate a time-limited share code. Each code lasts up to 90 days and can be used multiple times within that period. Generate a fresh code if the previous one expires or if a different purpose is needed.
What employers and landlords see. When an employer or landlord enters your share code along with your date of birth on the official checking service, they see your visa type, whether you have the right to work or rent, visa start and end dates, and any conditions - for example, "No recourse to public funds." In February 2026 alone, approximately 8 million eVisa checks were carried out through the online verification service.
Before travelling. Log in to your UKVI account and verify that your current passport or travel document number, nationality, and expiry date exactly match the document you will carry. If your passport details are wrong in the system - for example, if you renewed your passport but did not update the number - airlines may refuse to board you and border officials may hold you for additional questioning.
Fixing errors. If you spot that your eVisa shows a wrong name, date of birth, visa expiry date, or nationality, use the "Report a problem" or "Update your details" options inside your UKVI account. Submit documentary evidence (such as a corrected passport page or official deed poll). Do not travel until major errors are corrected. In some cases, corrections take several days, so plan ahead and review your record well before any trip or appointment.
Expired BRP cards and linking historic grants. The deadline to link expired BRP cards is 30 June 2026. After this date, linking a legacy physical document to a digital account becomes more difficult. If you still hold an expired BRP card, link your expired BRP to a digital account by 30 June 2026 to avoid complications. Remember: the underlying immigration status, not the plastic card, is what the Home Office cares about.
Keeping details current. Data in the UKVI system is used for immigration checks throughout the UK immigration journey - from online applications and border crossings to future extension or settlement applications. If you change your passport, your name, or your nationality, update your UKVI account immediately. Consistency between your physical document and your digital record is not optional; it is the foundation of how the system works.
Tip: If you have a job offer starting on a specific date, generate your share code at least a week in advance and confirm your employer can access the checking service. Last-minute problems with mismatched details or expired codes are avoidable.
Information, Updates and Official Sources
This article summarises publicly available information about UKVI eVisas and UK immigration processes. Immigration rules and digital systems change frequently, and what applies today may be updated by the Home Office without notice.
All procedural details should be checked directly against the current GOV.UK pages for "View and prove your immigration status", "eVisa," and "UKVI account." The Home Office publishes updated guidance periodically, and these pages are the definitive source.
The information here reflects GOV.UK and UKVI materials published up to early October 2026. Do not rely on older screenshots, social media posts, or unofficial blogs for final decisions about your immigration status.
This article is for general information only and does not amount to regulated immigration advice. If you have a complex case - such as a refusal, a status dispute, or an urgent travel problem - consult an OISC-registered adviser at Level 3, an Immigration and Asylum Accreditation (IAA) Level 3 adviser, or an appropriately qualified solicitor.
Be wary of unregulated advisers offering shortcuts to UK visas or UKVI account "fixes." Legitimate immigration advisers will be registered with a recognised body and will not ask you to pay to access a free government service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need to carry my passport if I have a UKVI eVisa?
Yes. You must always travel with a valid passport or travel document. Airlines and border control use your physical passport alongside the eVisa record to confirm your identity. An eVisa does not replace a passport - it replaces only the visa sticker or biometric residence card that previously proved your immigration permission.
Can I have more than one UKVI account for the same immigration status?
You should only have one UKVI account per person. Creating multiple accounts with different email addresses can prevent your eVisa from linking correctly. If this happens, you will likely need to contact the Home Office to merge or resolve the duplicate accounts, which can cause delays.
What if I change my phone number or email after creating my UKVI account?
Sign in as soon as possible and update your contact details in the account settings page. Outdated phone or email information can prevent you from receiving security codes, which will lock you out of the account entirely. If you have already lost access, the GOV.UK website offers a recovery process, but it takes time - do not wait until you urgently need a share code.
Will switching to an eVisa change my current visa expiry date or conditions?
No. Moving from a physical document such as a BRP to an eVisa does not change your visa length, expiry date, or any conditions attached to your leave. It only changes how the Home Office records and displays your status. Your rights remain exactly the same.
How do I know if a website helping with my UKVI account is genuine?
Check that the web address ends in ".gov.uk" for all official services. Avoid any website that charges fees simply to create or view a UKVI account - the official service is free. Never share your password or one-time security codes with third parties claiming to be "UKVI agents." If in doubt, navigate directly to gov.uk by typing the address into your browser rather than clicking links in emails or social media posts.