UK eVisa Explained: The End of the BRP Card

An eVisa is an online record of your UK immigration status. It shows who you are, what permission you have to be in the UK, and what you are allowed to do here, such as work, study or rent a home. You do not hold it in your hand. You see it by signing in to your UKVI account on gov.uk (GOV.UK, eVisas).

There is no card. There is no sticker. Your status now lives online.

This guide explains what changed, what you must do, and how to fix the most common problems. Keep it simple: if you have a UK visa or settlement, you need a UKVI account, and you need to be able to open it.

What happened to the BRP card?

The biometric residence permit (BRP) was the plastic card that many people used to prove their status. It is finished.

GOV.UK now says plainly that all BRPs have expired and have been replaced by eVisas (GOV.UK, Biometric residence permits).

This is important, so read it twice: your BRP card being expired does not mean your permission to stay in the UK has ended. The card ended. Your status did not. Your status is now shown by your eVisa.

You can still use the expired BRP card for three things only, and only for a limited time. GOV.UK says you might be able to use it for 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. The three things are:

1. Signing in to view your eVisa and get a share code.
2. Creating a UKVI account to access your eVisa.
3. Applying to extend your permission to stay in the UK.

For everything else, you must use your eVisa. So do not throw the old card away yet. It is still a useful key. But it is not proof of your status any more.

What you can and cannot do

How do I set up a UKVI account?

The UKVI account is the door to your eVisa. It is free. GOV.UK states clearly that you do not need to pay to set up a UKVI account or to access your eVisa (GOV.UK, eVisas).

To create the account you need:

• A mobile phone number and an email address. These are how you sign in later.
• One of these, to prove who you are:
  • a valid passport plus your visa application number (GWF or UAN), or
  • a valid passport plus your BRP number, or
  • your expired BRP card.
• A smartphone, so you can install the app that checks your identity.

The steps:

1. Go to the "Set up a UKVI account" page on gov.uk.
2. Enter your phone number and email address.
3. Enter your identity document details.
4. Use the app on your phone to scan your document and your face.
5. Wait for the account to be linked to your immigration record.
6. Sign in and check that your eVisa is there and correct.

Every person needs their own account. If your husband, wife or children came to the UK as your dependants, they each need a separate UKVI account. A child needs one too (GOV.UK, Set up a UKVI account).

If you have no valid passport, no expired BRP, or no smartphone, do not give up. GOV.UK lists other ways to prove your identity on the same page. Use the UKVI webchat and ask for help.

What is a share code and how do I get one?

A share code is a code you give to someone who needs to check your immigration status. You do not show them your account. You give them the code, and they look up your status online themselves.

You will need a share code when you:

• Start a new job (right to work).
• Rent a home (right to rent).
• Are asked to prove your status by an official service.

To get one, sign in to the View and prove your immigration status service on gov.uk with your UKVI account, then choose to prove your status (GOV.UK, View your eVisa and get a share code).

Three facts to remember about share codes:

• A share code lasts 90 days.
• You can use the same code more than once inside those 90 days.
• You can make a new one at any time, as many times as you need. It is free.

There are separate services for proving your right to work and your right to rent. If someone asks for a specific one, use the link they give you, or search gov.uk for "prove your right to work" or "prove your right to rent". Choose the correct one so the check does not fail.

What about travel? Do I need to link my passport?

Yes. This is the part that catches people out at the airport.

Your eVisa is linked to a passport or travel document. GOV.UK says you must travel with a valid passport or travel document that you have added to your UKVI account (GOV.UK, Travel with your eVisa).

Before you book, and again before you fly, check these three things:

1. Your UKVI account has your current passport in it, not an old one.
2. Your eVisa shows the correct status and correct personal details.
3. The name, date of birth and passport number you give to the airline match your UKVI account exactly.

If you have more than one nationality, add the passport you will actually travel on. You can add more than one passport to the account.

At the UK border, your eVisa is checked either by an officer or by the eGates. There is nothing to show and nothing to print, although carrying a share code is a sensible extra step in case you are asked.

If your passport changes while you are outside the UK, this becomes harder. Update your account, and if you cannot, follow the instructions on the travel page on gov.uk before you try to fly back.

How do I fix a mistake in my eVisa?

Errors happen. A wrong name, a wrong date of birth, a wrong status. Do not ignore it, because the airline or the employer will see the mistake, not the truth.

Note one limit: GOV.UK says you cannot change your name or passport details while you are waiting for a decision on a visa application. Wait for the decision first.

I have indefinite leave to remain. Does this affect me?

Yes, if your only proof is an old document.

If you have indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or indefinite leave to enter, and your proof is a wet ink stamp or a sticker (vignette) with no expiry date in an old passport, you do not have an eVisa yet. To get one you must make a no time limit (NTL) application (GOV.UK, Get an eVisa if you have settlement in the UK).

The NTL application is free. GOV.UK says it can take up to 6 months. Your status does not change while you wait, and you can keep using your physical document during that time.

Do not delay this. Physical proof of settlement is getting harder to use every year, and 6 months is a long wait if you suddenly need to travel or start a job.

Watch out for scams

Because the eVisa is free, any message asking you to pay to "create your eVisa" or to "keep your visa active" is a scam. The Home Office will not ask you for a payment for a UKVI account.

Only use links that start with gov.uk. If you are unsure, go to gov.uk yourself and search, instead of clicking a link in an email or a text message.

A short checklist

• Set up your UKVI account. It is free.
• Do the same for every family member, including children.
• Check your eVisa details are correct. Report errors early.
• Add your current passport. Update it every time it changes.
• Get a share code when an employer or landlord asks. It lasts 90 days.
• Keep your expired BRP safe for now. It still helps you sign in.
• If you have settlement with only an old stamp, start your free NTL application now.

The rules here are still moving. GOV.UK continues to publish updates on the move to eVisas, and some transitional arrangements are still in place. Before you travel or apply, check the current page on gov.uk rather than relying on what a friend told you last year.