The Home Office is digitalising the UK border and immigration system in 2025, physical immigration document such as Biometrics Residence Permits (BRPs) and visa vignettes are being phased out and will be replaced by an eVisa.
For more information, please visit Gov.UK/eVisa
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status, you can access your eVisa by creating a UKVI account.
Using an eVisa is completely free and it does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your stay in the UK.
BRPs are issued with an end date of 31 December 2024 even though your immigration permission goes beyond this date. You will not be issued with a new BRP afterwards and you do not need to contact Home Office to correct this date.
Before your BRP expires, you must create a UKVI account and link your current passport or travel document to your account.
Watch this video guide for more information about how to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and access your eVisa.
If you do not already have a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, you will be asked to:
This information will be used to link your eVisa to your UKVI account. You'll get an email to let you know when you can access your eVisa in your account.
To create your UKVI account you will need:
- access to a smartphone
- a mobile phone number *
- an email address *
- your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card **
* Please make sure you provide a phone number and email address which you can access anytime. You will need them each time you use your eVisa to prove your immigration status.
** If your BRP card has been lost or stolen, you can use your travel document, such as a passport, and your visa application reference number to create your UKVI account. Your visa application number is the global web form (GWF) or unique application number (UAN) from your visa application. You can no longer request a replacement BRP card.
After creating your UKVI account, you will be directed to download the ‘UK Immigration ID Check' app to scan your BRP.
Once the scanning is complete, you will be directed back to confirm the following:
- your BRP or application number
- your location
- contact preferences
- account security questions
When your UKVI account is created, you can log in to link your BRP and current passport to your account.
The linking is not instant, it may take a few days to complete. When your eVisa is ready to view, you will receive an email from Home Office, you can then log in to your UKVI account to access your eVisa.
You can prove your immigration status to others such as landlords or employers by logging in to your UKVI account and generating a share code.
Watch this video on how to prove your immigration status using your eVisa.
You should keep your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account updated.
If you have created your UKVI account with your passport, please add your BRP details to your account, and vice versa.
If you have renewed your passport, please make sure you add the new passport details to your account.
You should continue to carry your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) with you when you travel internationally until it expires.
Keep your expired BRP card as it may help with future applications to stay in the UK. You may also want it for your personal records.
In future, you will be able to use your eVisa to travel to the UK with your valid passport. Before you travel, please login to your UKVI account and check that your passport details are up to date and visa details are correct.
As it may take some time for any updates to be reflected, please leave yourself sufficient time to check these details.
Watch this video to understand how to travel with your eVisa.
If you have a question about creating your UKVI account and getting access to your eVisa, please contact the Home Office about getting access to your eVisa. (Click on the green "Start now" button at the bottom of the page, to access the Home Office chat service.)