eVisa - Moving to a digital proof of immigration status
The Home Office is replacing physical immigration documents with a digital proof of immigration status - an eVisa - for customers already living in the UK, and for new visa applicants too.
eVisas are a key part of delivering a border and immigration system which will be ‘digital by default’ by 2025, a change that will enhance the customer experience, deliver excellent value, and increase the immigration system’s security and efficiency.
What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is an electronic 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 or immigration ink stamps, or the biometric residence card (BRC).
It is free, and straightforward for customers who hold physical immigration documents to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. Details of how to do this are available at www.gov.uk/evisa.
The following video explains more about eVisas.
Biometric residence permit holders
All BRP holders should visit www.gov.uk/evisa now to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. Holders of other physical immigration documents, including passports containing vignette stickers or ink stamps (for those who hold indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain), and BRCs, can also find information on GOV.UK on what they need to do to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
Legacy document holders with settled status, including holders of passports containing ink stamps or vignette stickers are encouraged to make a ‘No Time Limit’ application at https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/replace-visa-brp, which currently provides successful applicants with a BRP with which they can prove their rights. They will be able to use this BRP to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
As physical documents that evidence immigration status expire, customers who have created a UKVI account will be able to use the view and prove service to prove their status securely with third parties, such as employers or landlords (in England), and view their immigration status.
If you are an employer, you can download this factsheet and at www.gov.uk/evisa.
Those who check immigration statuses can already accept a 'share code' to check someone's status using the relevant online services including employers (the right to work check) and, in England, landlords (the right to rent check).
When presented with a legacy immigration document, like a passport containing an ink stamp, those checking status can direct the individual whose status they are checking to www.gov.uk/evisa for details of how to access and use their eVisa.
The information contained on this page has been supplied by the Home Office. You can get further information and keep up to date future updates at www.gov.uk/evisa.