UK eVisa for work visa holders

An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status. GOV.UK says eVisas have replaced physical immigration documents. If your work visa application succeeds, you get an eVisa and use a UKVI account to see it. All biometric residence permits (BRPs) have now expired and been replaced by eVisas.

What is an eVisa?

An eVisa is a digital record of:

• your identity and immigration status, for example the type of visa you have
• the conditions of your status, for example whether you are allowed to work or study in the UK

You get an eVisa when you successfully apply for a visa or another type of permission to be in the UK. If you have a visa vignette (a sticker in your passport), it stays valid until it expires.

Has the eVisa replaced the BRP?

Yes. A BRP was a card used to prove immigration status. You might have one if you were given permission to live or work in the UK on or before 31 October 2024. GOV.UK’s BRP page says all BRPs have now expired and have been replaced by eVisas.

You may be able to use an expired BRP for 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. You can only use it to:

• sign in to view your eVisa and get a share code
• create a UKVI account to get access to your eVisa
• apply to extend your permission to stay in the UK

For any other reason, you use your eVisa to prove your immigration status.

If you are making a new work visa application, your decision email tells you what you will get to prove your immigration status and what to do next (from GOV.UK’s Skilled Worker page). If your application is successful, you get an eVisa to prove you can come to the UK. See how to get a UK work visa.

How do I get into my eVisa?

You need a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. It costs nothing to set up a UKVI account or to see your eVisa.

You may already have an account if you have:

• used the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app to confirm your identity when applying for a visa
• created an account when you applied
• replaced a physical document, such as a BRP, with an eVisa

To create an account, you need a phone number and an email address you can use each time you sign in. You also need one of these, if you have them:

• a valid passport and your visa application number (a global web form number or unique application number)
• a valid passport and your BRP number
• your expired BRP, within the time limit above

After you create the account, you confirm your identity and link the account to your eVisa. You usually get access straight away once it is linked, but it can take up to 24 hours. If your partner and children join you as dependants, they each need their own UKVI account.

How do I prove my right to work or my status?

You can view your eVisa and get a share code. A share code proves your immigration status, for example when you get a new job or rent a home.

• The share code lets the other person see some of your personal details.
• You give them your date of birth.
• A share code lasts for 90 days.
• You can use it as many times as you need before it expires.
• You can get a new one whenever you need one.

What do I check before I travel with an eVisa?

You must check that your UKVI account and eVisa details are correct before you travel to or from the UK. GOV.UK says:

• your carrier (the company you travel with) may not let you travel if your details are wrong, and you may be delayed at the UK border
• your details must exactly match the passenger information you give to your carrier
• you must travel with a valid passport or travel document that you have added to your UKVI account
• your eVisa is checked when you leave and enter the UK, either by a border control officer or at the eGates

You must not travel to the UK before your visa application is approved. An eVisa is different from an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). GOV.UK says an ETA allows people who do not need a visa to travel to the UK for up to 6 months.

What if my eVisa has a mistake?

GOV.UK says to report an error if your eVisa shows wrong details, such as a wrong date of birth or immigration status. It says to report it too if you can view your eVisa but cannot use it to get a share code.

GOV.UK says UKVI aims to fix most issues within 5 working days. Complex issues can take up to 15 working days.

GOV.UK’s BRP page also says you can ask for an administrative review if you applied for your visa from inside the UK and there are mistakes in the length or conditions of your visa.

You do not need an eVisa if you are visiting the UK with an ETA, or if you have permission to stay in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar.