eVisas

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 eVisas include: 

• 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 we will tell you if you need to do this 
• it will be quicker and easier to prove your status at the UK border, and share your status with third parties like employers and landlords 

This video from UKVI explains more about what an eVisa is.

Everyone is now eligible to create their UKVI account and access their eVisa. Please visit the UK Government website to create your account. There is also a video available to show you how to create your account and access your eVisa.

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 College is required to always have on your record evidence of your immigration permission to be 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 and generate a Share Code so that the College can check your immigration status. You must select the option to prove your immigration status (do not use the right to work or right to rent options). The share code details need to be entered on the My Visa section of My Imperial. Please enter the share code in the visa number field. You will also need to upload a PDF document of the share code.

You won’t receive an automatic confirmation email when your eVisa is ready to view. 

After creating your UKVI account, we recommend visiting the ‘View and Prove’ service to check your visa details, attached conditions and to generate a share code.

You must still report your lost or stolen BRP, but it is no longer possible to apply for a replacement.

You will need to create a UKVI account to view your visa as an eVisa using your BRP number (if you have a copy of your BRP), and your passport. Alternatively, you can use your visa application reference number and your passport.

No further action is needed except to keep your UKVI account up to date with your current passport or travel document details and your contact information. If you have a BRP and an eVisa, you also only need to ensure that your UKVI account remains updated.

You can update your personal information in your UKVI account, including:

• mobile phone number
• email address
• name
• identity document, such as your passport or national identity card
• home address
• postal address
• change nationality or add an extra nationality - if you have dual nationality, for example

Your eVisa is linked to your passport so you must update your UKVI account if you get a new passport. If you travel before you get confirmation that your UKVI account has been updated, take your old passport with you as well as your new passport. Please do not update your name or passport details while you have a pending visa application. 

Follow the instructions provided on the gov.uk webpage for details of the personal details that may be updated, and for instructions on how to update the personal details in your 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.  

Your eVisa will be linked to your passport in your UKVI account. You must keep your passport details up to date in your UKVI account and tell UKVI about any changes. You’ll need to carry your current passport with you.

To prove your immigration status to organisations, landlord or employer, you will need to obtain a share code in order to “view and prove” your status to others. Watch the UKVI’s view and prove video for further details on how to do this.

You will be able to share information about your immigration status and conditions using the view and prove service by getting a share code. A share code gives time limited access to relevant data on your UKVI account.

You can use the view and prove service to get a share code to share your immigration status and conditions with your university. You can also get a share code for an employer to use to check your right to work, or for a landlord or agent if you will be renting privately. Watch the UKVI’s view and prove video for further details on how to do this.

You can travel with your current passport and eVisa. You must have updated your UKVI account with the details of your current passport in order to avoid any problems at the border. As the updates are not always automatic, please make sure you update your new passport details at least a couple of days before you travel. If you don’t get a confirmation that your UKVI account has been updated before you travel, take your old passport with you as well as your new passport.   

Until the end of 2024, you are also advised to travel with your physical document (such as your BRP) if you have one until it expires. You can view the UKVI video on how to travel with your eVisa for further details.

If you have any of the following errors, you can now report the error online to have these corrected:

• name
• sponsor reference
• photo
• National Insurance number
• visa restrictions - these say what you can and cannot do in the UK
• immigration status
• valid until date

If you need to update your details, you need to use a different process.

You should contact the UKVI’s Resolution centre. This is open from 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday (UK time), and from 8am – 6pm on Saturday and Sunday (UK time). Please follow the steps below when contacting the Resolution centre:

• Step 1. Choose whether you applied for your most recent visa inside or outside the UK
• Step 2. Choose the option viewing and proving your immigration status
  • Step 2a. If you chose "Inside the UK" in step 1, you will be asked "What is your question about?" 
    • If the issue is that you are having problems accessing your digital status, choose that option
    • If the issue is an error on your digital status, choose "something else"
  • Step 3. You will then be given the phone number 0300 790 6268 with a number option to choose (option 2 or 3)

Note: Calls to the UK Visas and Immigration contact centre are charged and there are limited opening times.

Alternatively, you can utilise the UKVI’s webchat service which is a virtual agent which operates 24 hours a day. Lastly, you can raise issues concerning your eVisa and UKVI account using a reporting tool that has been devised by the 3million, in conjunction with ILPA and the Open Rights Group.

Once you have exhausted all options above, please send the ISS team the responses you have been given from the UKVI alongside a detailed description of the error accompanied by a screenshot of the problem and we will investigate further.

The Home Office has now confirmed that BRP holders no longer need to return expired BRPs. It’s important to keep your previous BRPs, and we recommend carrying your expired BRPs along with your eVisa and travel documents when traveling to avoid potential issues at the border during the digital transition.

You can reach out to the UKVI’s Resolution Centre for help with accessing or recovering your account. They can also assist with updating your personal details if you’re unable to do so on your own.

For individuals with greater needs, such as those without internet access or a device, support is available through the Assisted Digital Service.

Additionally, several  organisations have received grant funding to help vulnerable individuals with the digital process.

Have a look at the detailed information on the UKVI webpages about eVisas. If you have any questions or concerns about the process, please contact International Student Support directly.