An eVisa, also referred to as online immigration status, is a form of digital immigration permission. 

Physical immigration documents are being replaced by eVisas. This includes:

• biometric residence permits (BRPs)
• biometric residence cards (BRCs)
• vignette stickers in passports

To access your eVisa, you will have to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account before the end of 2024.

For the most up to date information, visit www.gov.uk/evisa

If your BRP expires on 31 December 2024

Most BRPs will have a 31 December 2024 expiry date. This does not mean your visa ends on this date.

Create a UKVI account for your eVisa before it expires.

If you are not sure when is your visa end date, check communication you received from the Home Office when they approved your application. This will usually be a decision letter or you may have received the decision by email.

To access your eVisa, you first need a UKVI account. Create your UKVI account before the end of 2024 to access your eVisa.

To create a UKVI account, you will need:

• BRP number - if you already have a visa
• visa application number (starting with UAN or GWF) - check your email or visa decision letter
• smartphone, laptop or device with internet access
• identity document (either BRP or passport)
• date of birth
• email address - please use a personal email address you can access
• mobile phone number
• access to UK Immigration: ID Check app on your smartphone

How to create a UKVI account

Watch the Home Office's helpful video on how to create a UKVI account.

Download the UK Immigration: ID Check app on your smartphone.

Go to the GOV.UK page Get access to your eVisa and click 'Start now' to begin the process.

Answer the questions and follow the instructions for the app.

Wait for email confirmation that your eVisa is ready.

If you are an international student with a BRP ending 31 December 2024 but have immigration permission beyond this date

You will need to register for a UKVI account.

In the past, the Home Office sent email invitations to register for a UKVI account. From 6 August 2024, anyone who has a BRP dated to end 31 December 2024 can now create a UKVI account.

Check if you already have a UKVI account

You may already have a UKVI account if you applied for:

• Pre-Settled or Settled Status through the EU Settlement Scheme
• a Student visa
• a British National (Overseas) visa and you're from Hong Kong

If you are not sure if you already have a UKVI account and/or eVisa, you can either check on this GOV.UK page and go through the questions or check your original visa grant decision email or letter.

If you have dependants, you should also check whether they need to create a UKVI account.

If you can't access your UKVI account, find out how to recover your UKVI account on GOV.UK.

If you have created a new UKVI account, after you submitted your information the Home Office will find your record for your immigration status. This will link your eVisa to your UKVI account and your identity document.

Check your contact email address for communication. You will be contacted by email if more information is needed.

The eVisa process is not instant or automatic, so students can expect to wait from a 2-3 days and up to 8 weeks before receiving email confirmation that your eVisa is ready.

If you have problems getting access to your eVisa or creating a UKVI account, visit UKVI's eVisa Webchat page for assistance.

To share your online immigration status (eVisa), use the View and prove service to create a 'share code'.

A share code will give time limited access to information on your immigration status and visa conditions.

To login, you will need:

• details of the identity document you used when you applied (such as your passport or BRP)
• your date of birth
• access to your mobile number or email address you used when you applied - you'll be sent an access code to log in

Requesting a share code

You will need to select from options on what you need a share code for. These are:

• to prove your right to work
• to prove your right to rent private accommodation in England
• anything else (students can select this option if you want to prove your right to study)

It is important to select the correct option for your purpose. Otherwise if someone tries to access your status with your share code, it might not work.

Getting your share code

The share code will appear as a set of letters and numbers. You can then copy the share code for your own reference or send to a specified email address.

Share codes will last between 30 to 90 days and will have an expiry date. There is no limit to the number of share codes you can request.

How to prove your immigration status with an eVisa

You can watch the Home Office's video on how to prove your immigration status with an eVisa.

If you are experiencing issues with your UKVI account

If you need help with or if you are experiencing issues with your eVisa

If you continue to experience issues with your eVisa

You can contact the UKVI contact centre for further help and guidance.

For international students who have a BRP

The Home Office updated their eVisa guidance on 27 February 2025 to advise that if you have a BRP and you still have permission to stay in the UK beyond your BRP expiry date, carry your BRP with you when you travel to the UK until 1 June 2025 inclusive. 

You should still create your UKVI account before your BRP expiry date. 

As long as you continue to have immigration permission that goes beyond your BRP expiry date, you will be permitted to travel to the UK with your expired BRP and without an eVisa up until 1 June 2025 inclusive. Remember that eVisas are replacing your BRP in 2025, so make sure to get your UKVI account and apply for your eVisa as soon as possible.

For international students who have an eVisa

First, we recommend you check that your eVisa is correct before you travel in or out of the UK.

You can travel into the UK with your current passport and eVisa. Make sure your UKVI account is updated with your current passport details first to avoid problems and delays at the border.

If you still have a BRP and you hold permission to stay in the UK beyond your BRP expiry date (on or after 31 December 2024), you should carry your BRP with you as an extra document on your travels until 1 June 2025 inclusive.

You may need to generate a share code for the carrier to check your digital immigration status and to permit you to board your flight.

View this UKVI video for information on how to travel with your eVisa.

To find out if you have an eVisa (if you have a BRP)

Log in to your UKVI account (or create a UKVI account, if you do not already have one) and log in to access your eVisa. Your BRP is a way to verify your identity when creating your UKVI account to view your eVisa.

When you have created your UKVI account, you can view your eVisa online including your immigration permission in the UK, when your visa expires and your conditions of stay in the UK.

To find out if you have an eVisa (if you do not have a BRP)

Log in to your UKVI account (or create a UKVI account, if you do not already have one) and log in to access your eVisa, your online immigration status. The Home Office would have set up the account for you when your visa was granted. You can check this by looking at your email received when you got the decision on your visa, or your visa decision letter.

Find out if you most likely have a UKVI account and eVisa already

If you hold permission to be in the UK from:

• if you recently extended your visa in the UK using the UK Immigration: ID Check App
• Pre-Settled or Settled Status on the EU Settlement Scheme
• having a Hong Kong (BNO) visa

You most likely will have a UKVI account and eVisa already.

Keep your UKVI account updated with the most current details of your passport or travel document.

When your contact details change, you should also update this in your UKVI account.

If you experience issues in getting access to your eVisa to create a share code, we recommend trying the following:

• Try logging in again to the View and prove service later
• Ask UK Visa and Immigration’s (UKVI) eVisa webchat support for assistance
• If you can see your eVisa but cannot use it to get a share code, report this to UKVI

Alternatively, you can contact UKVI’s Resolution centre. The service is open 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday (UK time) and 8am – 6pm on Saturday and Sunday (UK time). Note that calls to the UKVI contact centre are charged.

If after trying all of the above options and you have not found a resolution, contact the International Student Support Team from your University of Strathclyde email address with:

• screenshots of the problem
• information on the responses you have been given from UKVI
• details of the issue you are experiencing.

This will help our team to investigate into this matter further. 

You should first report your BRP to UKVI as lost or stolen. You should also report your BRP as lost or stolen to the local police. 

Replacement BRPs are no longer being issued as of 26 September 2024.

You can still login to or create a UKVI account with your BRP number, if you have a copy of your BRP, and your passport. You can also use a visa application reference number (a GWF or UAN number) and your passport.

If you will be studying for less than 6 months in the UK, you may be able to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead of a Student visa.

Whether you have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling or if you have to request permission to enter as a Standard Visitor at your UK airport of arrival will depend on your nationality. 

Check if you need a UK visa

If you are required to make an application for a Standard Visitor visa, generally you will receive a visa vignette sticker in your passport. This would be your visa and in this situation, you will not need to apply for an eVisa.

The UK government advises that under the visitor route, visa vignette stickers will continue to be issued into 2025.

No. UKVI advises to update your UKVI account with any changes as soon as possible.

If you updated your UKVI account with a new travel document, such as a passport, but you have not received a confirmation of this change, it is advised that you carry both your current travel document and previous travel document when travelling. 

If you have a BRP, you should still carry it with you when travelling internationally and for coming back into the UK. This is based on eVisa guidance from the Home Office effective to 1 June 2025 inclusive.

Before travelling to the UK, check if you can get access to your eVisa. If you can access your eVisa, check that your eVisa is correct before you travel in or out of the UK.

If you have a current valid passport and your eVisa, but no other document (for example, a BRP) carriers can check your immigration status using the view and prove service. You will have to provide a share code for the carrier to check your immigration status first.

If you still have your BRP, the Home Office have updated their eVisa webpage that as long as you have immigration permission to remain in the UK beyond your BRP expiry date, you should continue to carry your BRP for travel back into the UK until 1 June 2025 inclusive.

Watch UKVI's video on How to travel with your eVisa.

If you are outside the UK and have difficulty setting up or accesing your eVisa

If you experience issues setting up access to your eVisa or you are having problems updating your UKVI account and you are outside the UK, you will need to apply for a Temporary visa. 

Before considering this option, please contact the International Student Support Team for advice.

The cost of a Temporary visa is £154. This visa allows you to travel to and enter the UK only one time.

Students can contact the following for support depending on where you need help:

• UKVI account access issues: Recover your UKVI account or contact UKVI
• eVisa access help: eVisa webchat support

An eVisa is considered acceptable evidence of identity under the Identity Documents Act 2010. eVisa holders can use the View and Prove service to confirm your identity.

A passport can be used for photo ID or you can apply for ID from a UK identification scheme. Some schemes include:

• Post Office PASS card which is accepted as official ID across the UK
• Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC) for 11 to 26-year-olds living in Scotland