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Your eVisa is your digital record of your UK immigration status. It shows the immigration permission you have, how long you can stay in the UK, and any conditions attached to your permission, such as whether you can work or study.
You access your eVisa through your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.
If you have UK immigration permission, it is important that you:
View your eVisa and get a share code
You do not need to keep making changes to your eVisa or UKVI account if your details are correct and nothing has changed.
You should take action when:
You do not normally need to generate a travel share code before every journey. You can generate one if you are asked for additional evidence of your immigration status, or before travelling if you would like to have one available.
An eVisa is the digital record of your identity, UK immigration status and the conditions attached to that status.
For example, your eVisa may show:
eVisas have replaced physical immigration documents, such as Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), although there are some limited circumstances where a physical immigration document may still be valid.
Moving from a physical immigration document to an eVisa does not change your immigration status or the conditions of your permission.
You do not need to pay to set up a UKVI account or access your eVisa.
Your UKVI account is the online account you use to access and manage your eVisa.
Your eVisa is the digital record of your immigration status held within that account.
You can use your UKVI account to:
If you already have a UKVI account, do not create another one.
You may already have an account if you have previously:
If you are not sure whether you already have an account, try signing in to the GOV.UK View and Prove service first.
View your eVisa and get a share code
If your visa application has recently been approved, read your UKVI decision email carefully. It should explain how to access your eVisa.
To create a UKVI account, you will normally need:
You may also be asked to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app to confirm your identity.
GOV.UK – Using the UK Immigration: ID Check app
If you cannot access a smartphone or use the app, UKVI provides alternative ways to confirm your identity.
If you have an old or expired BRP, you may still be able to use information from it when setting up your UKVI account. Time limits apply, so check the current GOV.UK guidance before doing this.
Set up a UKVI account and access your eVisa
If your partner or children have UK immigration permission as your dependants, they need access to their own eVisas.
Each dependant will normally need their own UKVI account, although a parent or another person acting on behalf of a child may manage their account.
Before travelling, check that the eVisa for each member of your family is correct and that the passport or travel document they will use is linked to their UKVI account.
Your own eVisa does not cover your dependants.
Set up a UKVI account and access your eVisa
Check your eVisa as soon as your immigration application has been approved.
You should check:
You should also check your eVisa again before travelling outside the UK.
Your personal details should match the passport or travel document you are using.
If anything looks wrong, report it to UKVI as soon as possible.
View your eVisa and get a share code
UKVI has an online service for reporting problems with an eVisa.
You should use this service if, for example:
UKVI aims to resolve most reported eVisa issues within 5 working days, although more complex cases can take up to 15 working days.
If you are a University of Gloucestershire student and the error relates to your Student immigration permission, you should also contact International Student Services for advice.
Where possible, resolve any eVisa problems before travelling to or from the UK.
Report an error with your eVisa
It is important to keep your UKVI account up to date, particularly if your passport, travel document, personal information or contact details change.
For example, you may need to update:
Update your UKVI account as soon as any of these details change.
It is particularly important to update your UKVI account when you receive a new passport.
The passport or travel document you use for international travel must be linked to your UKVI account.
If your details are not up to date, you could experience problems proving your immigration status or delays when travelling.
Update your UKVI account details
You can generate a share code through the GOV.UK View and Prove service.
A share code allows another organisation to securely check the relevant information about your immigration status.
You might need a share code for:
A share code is valid for 90 days. You can use it more than once during that period and can generate a new code whenever you need one.
The person or organisation using the share code will normally also need your date of birth.
You do not normally need to send them a screenshot of your eVisa.
View your eVisa and get a share code
The University is required to check that international students have permission to study in the UK.
If we ask you to provide evidence of your immigration status, you need to generate the correct type of share code.
View your eVisa and get a share code
The share code you provide to the University should begin with S.
The University needs an S share code to complete your Right to Study check, so please do not send us:
Submit your share code using the University’s Immigration Status Share Codes form rather than emailing it directly to International Student Services.
University of Gloucestershire – Immigration Status Share Codes form and enrolment guidance
Your eVisa is linked to your passport or travel document.
Before travelling to or from the UK, check that:
Complete these checks before you travel, rather than waiting until you arrive at the airport.
You must travel with a valid passport or travel document that has been added to your UKVI account.
Your immigration status can normally be checked electronically by your airline or other carrier and by UK Border Force.
If your details do not match, you may experience delays or your carrier may be unable to confirm that you have permission to travel to the UK.
GOV.UK – Travel with your eVisa
You do not normally need to generate a share code simply to travel.
However, an airline, other carrier or border official may sometimes ask you for additional evidence of your immigration status.
If this happens, you can generate a share code for travel.
A travel share code is valid for 90 days and can be used more than once, so you can generate one before travelling if you would find this reassuring.
View your eVisa and get a share code
If you have another current physical immigration document which proves your valid UK immigration status, you can also carry this as additional evidence.
An expired BRP cannot be relied upon as permission to travel to the UK.
If your airline or another carrier cannot confirm your immigration status:
If the carrier is still unable to verify your immigration status, ask them to contact the UK Border Force carrier support hub for assistance.
This is a service provided to carriers to help them confirm whether a passenger has permission to travel to the UK.
GOV.UK – Travel with your eVisa
You will need to make sure that the passport you use to return to the UK is linked to your UKVI account.
What you can update yourself while outside the UK depends on your circumstances and the type of passport you hold.
Do not wait until you arrive at the airport to deal with this.
Follow the current GOV.UK guidance for updating your UKVI account from outside the UK before you travel.
Update your UKVI account details
GOV.UK – Travel with your eVisa
If you are outside the UK and cannot access your eVisa, or cannot link your current passport to your UKVI account, try to resolve the problem before travelling to the UK.
Depending on the problem, you may need to:
Update your UKVI account details
Report an error with your eVisa
If the problem cannot be resolved, you may need to apply for temporary permission to travel to the UK so that a carrier can confirm your right to travel.
This should normally only be considered after you have tried to resolve the problem with your eVisa or UKVI account.
Check the current GOV.UK and UKCISA guidance and contact International Student Services if you need advice.
If you cannot sign in because, for example, you have changed your phone number, lost access to your email address or cannot access the details you normally use to sign in, use the UKVI account recovery service.
This is different from reporting an error with your eVisa.
Your details have changed
Update your UKVI account
You cannot sign in to your account
Recover your UKVI account
You can sign in, but your eVisa is wrong or is not displaying correctly
Report an eVisa error
You have another technical question about your eVisa or UKVI account
UKVI eVisa support webchat
Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) have been replaced by eVisas.
An expired BRP does not necessarily mean that your immigration permission has expired. Your current immigration status and its expiry date should be shown on your eVisa.
There are some limited circumstances where information from an old BRP can still be used when setting up or accessing a UKVI account. Check the current GOV.UK guidance if this applies to you.
Set up a UKVI account to access your eVisa
You cannot rely on an expired BRP as permission to travel to the UK.
GOV.UK – Travel with your eVisa
No. They are different.
An eVisa is the digital record of immigration permission you already have to enter or stay in the UK.
An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) gives permission to travel to the UK to eligible people who do not need to obtain a visa before travelling.
If you already have valid permission to live, work or study in the UK, including permission recorded as an eVisa, you do not need an ETA to travel using that permission.
GOV.UK – Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
No.
Your decision email tells you the outcome of your visa application and should be kept for your records.
Your eVisa is the digital record of your immigration status that you access through your UKVI account.
If the University, an employer, landlord or another organisation needs to formally check your immigration status, you will normally need to use the appropriate Home Office online service or provide a share code.
View your eVisa and get a share code
No. Your eVisa is a digital immigration record, so you do not need to routinely print it.
You can keep a screenshot or printout for your own reference, but organisations that need to formally check your immigration status will normally use a share code or another Home Office online checking service.
You should make sure you know how to access your UKVI account and eVisa when you need them.
When travelling, it can also be useful to have access to your visa decision email and other relevant immigration information in case you are asked for additional evidence.
Employers, landlords and other organisations that need to formally check your immigration status should use the appropriate Home Office online checking service where one is available.
If your eVisa contains incorrect information, or a technical problem is preventing you from proving your immigration status, report the problem to UKVI.
Report an error with your eVisa
If you are a current University of Gloucestershire student and the problem is affecting your studies, enrolment or ability to prove your Right to Study, contact International Student Services for advice.
Before travelling to or from the UK, check:
☐ I can sign in to my UKVI account.
☐ I can view my eVisa.
☐ My name, nationality and date of birth are correct.
☐ My immigration permission and visa dates are correct.
☐ My current passport or travel document is linked to my UKVI account.
☐ The passenger details given to my airline or carrier exactly match my passport.
☐ I have updated UKVI if my passport or personal details have changed.
☐ I know how to generate a travel share code if I am asked for one.
☐ I have reported any problems with my eVisa before travelling.
GOV.UK – Travel with your eVisa
What an eVisa is
Find out what an eVisa is and how digital immigration status works.
Set up a UKVI account to access your eVisa
Use this if you need to create a UKVI account or link your account to your eVisa.
View your eVisa and get a share code
Check your immigration status and generate a share code.
Update your UKVI account details
Update your passport, contact information and other personal details.
Recover your UKVI account
Use this if you are having problems signing in to your UKVI account.
Report an error with your eVisa
Tell UKVI if your eVisa contains incorrect information or you cannot view it correctly.
Travel with your eVisa
Check what you need to do before travelling to or from the UK.
Using the UK Immigration: ID Check app
Guidance on using the app to confirm your identity.
UKVI eVisa support webchat
Get technical support with your eVisa or UKVI account.
eVisa support videos
Watch UKVI videos explaining how to access, update, recover and use your eVisa.
UKCISA – eVisas
Independent guidance for international students about eVisas, UKVI accounts, proving your immigration status and travelling.
Arrivals and enrolment guidance
Includes the University’s Right to Study process and Immigration Status Share Codes form.
If you are a University of Gloucestershire student and need help understanding your Student immigration permission, or you believe there is a problem with the immigration permission you have been granted, contact International Student Services.
For technical problems with your UKVI account or eVisa, such as problems signing in, updating your details or viewing your immigration status, use the relevant GOV.UK service above or the UKVI eVisa support webchat.