What is an eVisa and do I need to get one?

Background to eVisas

Over the past few years the Home Office has been setting up eVisas (online proof of immigration status) to replace physical immigration residence documents. The reason the Home Office wants to give people eVisas rather than physical immigration residence documents is because they argue these are more secure and cannot be lost. The first eVisas were issued under the EU Settlement Scheme which was launched in 2018, although at this time the Home Office did not use the term eVisa. Since then, the Home Office has been expanding the use of eVisas to other immigration categories, for example Student visas and Skilled Worker visas. Now most immigration statuses are given an eVisa, although in some limited cases, people with physical immigration documents can still use these to prove their status. The following sections provide more information about eVisas, how to use and update your eVIsa and what to do if you have any problems with your eVisa. 

I have pre-settled status or settled status do I need an eVisa? 

EU citizens with status under the EU Settlement Scheme were not issued a physical residence card as proof of their status. This is because the Home Office started issuing eVisas to those with pre-settled and settled status once the EU Settlement Scheme was set up. So, if you have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme then you already hold an eVisa, which means you do not need to take any action to set up an eVisa.

The Home Office did not always refer to those with pre-settled or settled status as holding an eVisa, as it was more commonly called your UK Visa and Immigration account (or UKVI account) or more informally, called ‘digital’ or ‘online’ status. Essentially, all these terms mean the same thing – that you access proof of your pre-settled or settled status by going online and logging into your UKVI account via the gov.uk website. Because those with pre-settled or settled status do not need to set up an eVisa, there is no need to take any action even if you receive communication from the Home Office saying that you need to set up an eVisa or UKVI account. 

British and Irish citizens do not need an eVisa, although Irish citizens who applied to the EU Settlement Scheme and were granted status will have been issued with UKVI account and an eVisa. If you held pre-settled or settled status but have since become a British citizen, then your eVisa will have become void once you became British (you may still be able to log into your UKVI account but the status is no longer valid). If you do not already have one, it is recommended to apply for a British passport to make it straightforward to pass immigration checks and travel back to the UK.

I am an EU citizen with Indefinite Leave to Enter / Remain and have not applied to the EUSS, do I need to do anything to get an eVisa? 

If you are an EU citizen have been granted “Indefinite Leave to Remain” or “Indefinite Leave to Enter” (shortened to ILR or ILE) granted outside of the EUSS, then it is likely your status was granted many years ago, and in some cases decades ago. If your ILR or ILE remains valid then you do not need to apply to the EUSS, as you already have an immigration status that allows you to live in the UK permanently. However, you are unlikely to have an eVisa as in most cases, the grant of ILR or ILE would be a stamp in an old passport or a letter from the Home Office confirming you have been granted status. This can make it challenging to prove your ILR or ILE, particularly if you lose the proof of your status. 

This is one of the reasons why we recommend that EU citizens who have been granted ILR or ILE but have not applied to the EUSS make a late application to the scheme, as this way you can get an eVisa proving that you now hold settled status. If you hold valid ILR or ILE then you will automatically qualify for a grant of settled status, if you successfully make a late application to the scheme. Please see the section “How do I apply late to the EU settlement scheme?” for more information about how to apply late to the EUSS.

Although settled status is also Indefinite Leave to Remain status, it grants more rights than non-EUSS ILR and ILE, for example, settled status only lapses if you are absent from the UK for five continuous years, whereas non-EUSS ILR and ILE lapses if you are absent for two continuous years. Also, settled status rights are guaranteed and protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, whereas non-EUSS ILR and ILE are domestic immigration statuses that could be affected by changes in UK government policy. 

How do I access my eVisa / UKVI account? 

As pre-settled and settled status is only accessible online, it is very important to know how to access your UKVI account and how to show your status to those who may need to see it. There are two ways to access your UVKI account either via the View your eVisa and get a share code service or the Update your UKVI account details. Both these links use the same steps to log in to the UKVI account:  

• Enter the number of the identity document you used when you applied to the EU Settlement Scheme (i.e. your passport or national identity card number, or biometric residence card reference), or, if you have updated your digital status with a new identity document after your status was granted, the number of this document;
• Enter your date of birth;
• Select to receive a ‘one-time use’ security code to the mobile phone number or email address linked to your UKVI account (this will be the details you gave in your application unless you have updated your UKVI account with new details);
• Enter the a ‘one-time use’ security code to complete the log in process. 

See under the below heading What can I do if I have a problem with my eVisa or UKVI account?  about what to do if you have any issues accessing your UKVI account. 

How do I prove my pre-settled or settled status with my eVisa? 

There are two ways that your pre-settled or settled status can be checked by a party who needs to see your immigration status (such as the NHS or an employer): 

• The checking organisation has direct access to the Home Office and can check your status without you needing to do anything (in other words you do not need to provide a share code)

• By you providing the checker with a “share code” that they use to check with the Home Office that you have status. 

Share codes: 

To use a share code you use the Home Office View your eVisa and get a share code service to generate the share code, which is then given to the organisation checking your pre-settled or settled status. The organisation will then submit the share code online to the Home Office and will receive confirmation of your status. Common organisations who will ask you for share codes are:  

• Employers
• Landlords in England (landlords in the other UK nations do not need to check your status to rent property to you)
• Banks 
• Universities  

Please be aware that there are three different share codes you can generate using the View your eVisa and get a share code service; one for employers, one for landlords (for use in England) and a third for ‘other’ parties such as universities and banks. You need to select the correct type of share code to generate, otherwise the party checking your status will not be able to complete the check (for example, if you give an employer share code generated for a landlord then the Home Office will not be able to confirm your right to work to the prospective employer).  

Direct checks with the Home Office: 

Organisations that can check your status with the Home Office without you needing to provide a share code, are other government departments or public bodies rather than private organisations. Currently the following organisations can check your pre-settled or settled status directly with the Home Office:

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• Student Loans Company
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• Social Security Scotland
• NHS England
• NHS Wales 
• Councils using NRPF Connect

This means if you are engaging with one of these organisations you should be able to access their services without having to prove your status. However, it is possible that the organisation cannot get confirmation of your status directly from the Home Office, in which case you may be asked to provide a share code using the View your eVisa and get a share code service. In time the Home Office may add more government departments and public bodies to allow them to check your status directly without the need for a share code. 

What about travelling to the UK? 

In principle, if you have linked your travel document (your passport or national identity card) to your UKVI account as set out under the next heading, then most carriers (such as airlines, Eurostar and ferry operators) should be able to confirm your status with the Home Office directly without you having to provide a share code. However, when you travel it is advisable to generate a ‘other’ share code which you can give to a carrier if there is an issue confirming your status with the Home Office. Share codes are valid for 90 days so for short trips outside the UK you can generate a share code before you travel. You can read more about travel in the section Travelling to and from the UK with pre-settled or settled status. The Home Office provides guidance on checking your eVisa details before you travel. 

How do I link my passport or national ID card to my UKVI account? 

When you applied to the Home Office for your pre-settled or settled status the passport or national ID card you applied with is automatically linked to your UKVI account. Therefore, if you are still travelling on the same document that you applied to the EU settlement scheme with, you do not need to take any action as your passport or national ID card will already be linked to your UKVI account.

If you have changed passport or national ID card since you applied to the EU settlement scheme, or you want to add one of these documents to your UKVI account as an alternative travel document (you can link more than one travel document to your UKVI account), you will need to sign into your UKVI account and follow the instructions. 

Normally you can link your passport or national ID card using the online service however, in some situations you may be required to send your document to the Home Office for verification (for example, if you have changed from your maiden name and your married name and your new passport or national ID card now has your married name in it, the Home Office will require you to send it to them). If you have to send your document to the Home Office for verification it should be returned to you without delay.

If you can update your new document online (i.e. without having to send this to the Home Office), this can be done inside or outside the UK. If you need to send your document to the Home Office, you can only do from inside the UK. 

What do I do if I have a problem with my eVisa or UKVI account? 

If you are having an issue with your eVisa or UKVI account there are various ways to contact the Home Office to try to resolve the problem, depending on what the issue is. For example, if you no longer have access to the mobile phone number or email address that is linked to your UKVI account, then you would not be able to receive the ‘one-time use’ security code to complete the log in process. In this case you would need to contact the Home Office to reset your access to the account. In some situations the information shown on your eVisa may be incorrect which means you will need to contact the Home Office to have this information corrected. In some cases there could be a complicated technical issue that means your eVisa or UKVI account does not function properly which requires investigation by the Home Office.  

The Home Office provides the following services to assist resolve problems that arise: 

• Recover your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account: for example, if you no longer can remember the passport number linked to UKVI account. 
• Ask about an eVisa, UKVI account or sharing your immigration status: this is a webchat service that can assist answer some questions about your eVisa or UKVI account.
• Report an error with your eVisa: you can use this online form to report issues such as the wrong name (or other biographical details) appearing in your UKVI account, or problems generating or using share codes. 

If none of the above services can resolve your issue, then you should contact Home Office Resolution Centre on +44 (0)300 790 6268 or +44 (0)203 875 4669 (the Resolution Centre is open Monday to Friday between 8am-8pm and Saturday and Sunday between 9:30am-4:30pm). 

The3million campaign organisation gathers information about digital immigration status issues to engage with the Home Office and advocate for improvements to the system. If you wish to report your problem to this organisation you can do so by completing this online form. 

What about non-EU nationals with pre-settled status or settled status and a Biometric Residence Card?

If you have a biometric residence card and have been granted status under the EUSS, you already have a UKVI account and access to your eVisa and can use the View your eVisa and get a share code service to prove your status. You should keep your UKVI account up to date it with any new passport or contact details using the ‘Update your UKVI account details’ service.

You can no longer use your Biometric Residence Card (BRC) to prove your rights. However, if you have pre-settled status you should keep your BRC as you can use this to verify your identity when you come to make an upgrade application for settled status.

I have a Biometric Residence Card but have not applied to the EU Settlement Scheme? 

If you have a Biometric Residence Card (BRC) issued under the EEA Regulations but have not applied to the EU settlement scheme, you must make a late EUSS application as soon as possible. This is because the EEA Regulations no longer apply to the UK following Brexit, which means you need to be granted immigration status under the EUSS in order to hold lawful immigration status. When making a late EUSS application you must explain in your application the reasons that you have missed the deadline to apply; for example, if you have been able to use your existing BRC to work and travell in and out of the UK, you should explain this in the application. 

Further information

Using your UK Visas and Immigration account (Home Office)

Online immigration status (eVisa) (Home Office)

View and prove your immigration status: get a share code (Home Office)

Check your eVisa is correct before you travel (Home Office)

Ask about an eVisa, UKVI account or sharing your immigration status (Home Office)

Recover your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account (Home Office)

Report an error with your eVisa (Home Office)

Services

This site offers information about Brexit, how it may impact you as an EU citizen and your family living in the UK, and what you may need to do next. It summarises key issues and is purely for information purposes and has no legal force. It does not provide any legal interpretation of EU or UK legislation and is not meant to replace specialised legal advice on UK immigration rules.