Online immigration status (eVisa)

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing an online digital immigration system. Throughout 2024, the government is replacing physical immigration documents with digital proof of immigration status for students already living in the UK and for new students. This means they are replacing physical documents with an online record of your immigration status – this is known as an eVisa.

What is an eVisa? 

An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. You will need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa.  

Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. 

In the future you’ll be able to use an eVisa to travel to the UK – you will not need to carry a physical document, except for your current passport, which must be registered to your UKVI account. Until the end of 2024 you will need to continue to carry your physical document when you travel, if you have one. 

The benefits of an eVisa includes: 

• They are secure and cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with, unlike a physical document.
• You will not need to wait for, or collect, a physical document after your application is decided – you might still need to provide biometric information in person, and UKVI will tell you if you need to do this.
• It will be quicker and easier to prove your immigration status at the UK border, and share your status with third parties like employers and landlords.

The video below provides further information on what an eVisa is and why you’ll need one.

Why do I need a UKVI account? 

As part of the switch to replace physical documents with an online record of your immigration status, you need to create a UKVI account. This allows you to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status and conditions, such as your right to work or rent in the UK, using the online view and prove service.  

You do not have to pay to create a UKVI account. 

How will I use my UKVI account? 

Once you have created your UKVI account you will be able to view the details of your eVisa online, for example your type of permission, when it expires and your conditions of stay in the UK.  

You can update your personal information in your UKVI account, such as your contact details.  

Your eVisa will be linked to your passport in your UKVI account. You must keep your passport or ID card details up to date in your UKVI account, so that your immigration status can be easily identified at the UK border. You’ll still need to carry your current passport with you. 

If you’ve told UKVI that you have a new passport and you’re still waiting for confirmation that your UKVI account has been updated, you should also carry your old document with you, if possible, to avoid unnecessary delays at the border. 

You can share your immigration status information with third parties, such as employers or landlords, by generating a share code in the view and prove service, which will give them time-limited access to your immigration status information. You can get a new share code whenever you need one – you do not have to remember a single unique code to be able to prove your status. 

How do I get an eVisa and a UKVI account? 

If you have a biometric residence permit (BRP) that expires on 31 December 2024, UKVI will get in touch with you to let you how to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa before the expiry date of your BRP. 

If you have already been contacted to create an account, either by email or in a decision letter, you can follow the instructions UKVI sent you to create a UKVI account. 

If you have not yet been contacted about creating an account, you’ll be able to create your account and access your eVisa later in 2024. 

If you have permission to stay in the UK, once you’ve created your UKVI account you will be able to sign in to the view and prove service to access your eVisa. 

The video below provides further information on how to create a UKVI account and get access to your eVisa.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is changing?
UKVI are developing an online digital immigration system. This means they are replacing physical documents with an online record of your immigration status – this is known as an eVisa.

What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is a digital record of a person’s immigration status. It removes the need for physical documents, such as the biometric residence permit (BRP), passports containing a visa vignette sticker (a physical visa sticker in a passport) or an immigration ink stamp.

When is the change taking place?
From April 2024, UKVI will email BRP holders directly with instructions on how to create UKVI account to access their eVisa. Most new visa applicants will automatically get an eVisa from autumn 2024 onwards.

What are the benefits of an eVisa?
An eVisa cannot be lost, stolen or damaged. Holders can prove their rights instantly, accurately and securely to anyone who requests it while sharing only necessary information. eVisas will prevent unnecessary delays when travelling internationally, where holders travel using the passport linked to their UKVI account.

Will an eVisa be required to access public services?
Some government bodies, including the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Health Service in England and Wales, can already securely access the immigration status of existing eVisa holders when they seek to claim benefits or access healthcare to ensure eligibility. This means that when these holders seek to access UK government services and benefits, they will not be asked to present proof of status when their entitlement to access those services is assessed.

How will eVisas impact international travel?
Students should continue to carry their in-date physical immigration documents with them when they travel internationally, if they have been issued with such a document, until they receive an eVisa. You should ensure your UKVI account is always linked to your current passport.

I currently have a BRP, what do I need to do?
As BRPs are being phased out at the end of 2024, many students will have a physical BRP card with a ‘valid until’ date of 31 December 2024, whereas their actual immigration permission extends beyond that date. Students who have a BRP and are living in the UK will need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa, unless their immigration permission expires before 31 December 2024. From April 2024 BRP holders are being emailed directly with instructions on how to create UKVI account to access their eVisa. BRP holders who have not yet received an email should not worry, as the process will soon be opened to all without an invitation.

Is there a cost involved to create a UKVI account?
No, creating a UKVI account is free.

Will I need to return my BRP to the Home Office, or submit my passport to create a UKVI account?
No, BRP holders will not be required to return their BRPs to the Home Office, or to submit their passport. This applies even to students only recently issued with a BRP. In the meantime, students can use their BRP as normal.

I’m a new student, starting in Autumn 2024, what do I need to do?
From autumn 2024, most students will no longer be issued with a physical document such as a BRP and will need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. Information on what to do to create a UKVI account will be contained in their visa decision notice and will also be available on www.gov.uk/evisa in due course. Students will be able to use the view and prove service through their UKVI account to prove their rights, and carriers will be able to automatically securely access an individual’s immigration status when they present their passport associated with their UKVI account.