The UK’s immigration system has gone digital. Physical biometric residence permits (BRPs) expired on 31 December 2024, and the Home Office has replaced them — along with biometric residence cards and the old passport vignette stickers — with an eVisa: a secure online record of your immigration status. If you used to carry a BRP, there is one important job to take care of: create a UKVI account and link your eVisa, so you can prove your status and travel without any trouble.

This guide explains, in plain English, what an eVisa is, who needs to act, how to set yours up step by step, and how to use it to prove your right to work, rent and travel.

What is a UK eVisa?

An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status — for example, the type of visa you hold or whether you have indefinite leave to remain (settlement) — together with the conditions attached to it, such as whether you are allowed to work or study. It is not a document you download or print: it lives in your online UKVI account, and you grant access to it when you need to prove your status.

The eVisa replaces:

• Biometric residence permits (BRPs) — these expired on 31 December 2024 (here is our background guide to BRPs)
• Biometric residence cards (BRCs)
• Passport vignettes — the stamps and stickers placed inside your passport

If you are granted a new visa or other permission to stay, you now receive an eVisa automatically. If you previously held a physical document, you need to move across to the digital system yourself.

Do I need to do anything?

Yes. If you previously held a BRP, BRC or a visa vignette and you have not already done so, you should create a UKVI account and access your eVisa. It is the only way to view and prove your status now that physical permits have expired. Setting up the account and accessing your eVisa is completely free — you never have to pay to create a UKVI account or to see your eVisa, so be cautious of any third party that charges a fee for the account itself.

How to create your UKVI account and access your eVisa

You can do everything at gov.uk/get-access-evisa. Here is what the process looks like.

1. Get your documents ready

To create your account you will need a valid passport plus one of the following:

• your visa application number — a GWF (global web form) or UAN (unique application number); or
• your BRP number. You can use an expired BRP for up to 24 months after it expired, or until 31 December 2026, whichever is sooner.

You will also need a mobile phone number and an email address that you can use every time you sign in.

2. Verify your identity

Most people confirm their identity using the free UK Immigration: ID Check app on a smartphone. If you do not have a passport, an (expired) BRP or access to a smartphone, gov.uk offers alternative ways to verify who you are.

3. Link your eVisa to the account

You cannot see your eVisa until it is linked to your UKVI account. If it is not linked automatically when you register, you can link it from your account dashboard.

What if I have lost my BRP?

If your BRP has been lost or stolen, you can still create your account using your passport and your visa application reference number (GWF or UAN). And here is an important tip from the Home Office: keep your old BRP even after it has expired — you may need the number for future immigration applications and when travelling internationally.

How to prove your status with a share code

Because there is no longer a card to hand over, you prove your status online by generating a share code from the “View and prove” section of your UKVI account. You choose the reason — right to work, right to rent, or something else — and the system gives you a secure code to pass to the other party, who enters it (along with your date of birth) on gov.uk.

• A right to work code (for employers) is different from a right to rent code (for landlords in England). Generate the correct one for each purpose — they are not interchangeable.
• Share codes are time-limited (currently valid for 90 days), so generate a fresh one when you need it rather than reusing an old code.

Planning to work in the UK? See our guides to the Skilled Worker visa and, if you are settling for good, British citizenship.

Travelling with an eVisa

Before you travel, make sure the passport you will use is added to your UKVI account. Airlines and carriers check your status electronically, so a current, linked passport means smooth boarding and a smooth border crossing. Update your account details whenever you renew or change your passport.

Frequently asked questions

What is a UK eVisa?

An eVisa is a digital record of your immigration status and its conditions that replaces the BRP, BRC and passport vignette. You view and share it through your online UKVI account rather than carrying a physical card.

Is the eVisa free?

Yes. Creating a UKVI account and accessing your eVisa on gov.uk is free — you never pay for the account itself.

My BRP expired on 31 December 2024 — what should I do?

Create a UKVI account and access your eVisa at gov.uk/get-access-evisa. Keep the expired BRP, as you may still need its number for future applications and travel.

What do I need to create a UKVI account?

A valid passport plus your BRP number or visa application number (GWF or UAN), an email address, a phone number, and usually a smartphone for the UK Immigration: ID Check app.

How do I prove my right to work or rent?

Generate a share code in the “View and prove” section of your UKVI account and give it to your employer or landlord. Use the correct code for each purpose; codes are valid for 90 days.

How do I travel with an eVisa?

Add the passport you will travel on to your UKVI account, so carriers and border control can check your status electronically.

What if I have lost my BRP?

Use your passport and your visa application reference number (GWF or UAN) to create your account.

Do I still need my old BRP?

Keep it. Even when expired, the Home Office advises that you may need it for future immigration applications and when travelling.