UK eVisa: Access and Use Your Online Immigration Status

An eVisa is the UK's digital record of your immigration status. This guide focuses on access and use — what an eVisa records, the UKVI account you need to reach it, and what you can do with it day to day. Screens and wording come from gov.uk, verified 2026-09-30. For proving your status to an employer or landlord, see our eVisa and share code guide.

What an eVisa records

gov.uk defines an eVisa as a digital record of two things. First, your identity and immigration status — for example the type of visa you have, or whether you have indefinite leave to remain (settlement) in the UK. Second, the conditions of your status — for example whether you are allowed to work or study in the UK. Those two halves are the whole of it: an eVisa is a record, not a new status.

You get an eVisa when you successfully apply for a visa or another type of permission to be in the UK. There is no separate application for the eVisa itself; it comes with the permission you were granted. That is worth remembering if you are waiting for one — the eVisa follows the decision on your application.

eVisas replaced physical documents

The direction of travel is stated plainly on gov.uk: eVisas have replaced physical immigration documents. Two qualifications sit alongside that statement, and both matter if you are holding older paperwork.

If you have a biometric residence card (BRC), you may still be able to use it in some situations — the gov.uk page links to its residence card guidance for the detail, which our BRC to eVisa guide walks through. If you have a visa vignette (sticker), it will remain valid until it expires. So the arrival of eVisas does not instantly void the vignette or card you already hold; it changes what comes next.

Access: you need a UKVI account

To reach your eVisa you need a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. The UKVI account is the sign-in that sits in front of your eVisa; without it you cannot view your status online. If you do not already have one, you can set up a UKVI account.

One reassurance is stated directly by gov.uk and is worth repeating because it is a common worry: you do not need to pay to set up a UKVI account or to access your eVisa. Setting up the account and getting in to see your record are free. If you are asked to pay for either, that is not the official process.

A UKVI account also becomes the place where you keep the details that prove your status, so it is worth setting it up before you need it — for instance, before a job interview or a tenancy application rather than on the morning of one.

Use: view, share, travel

Once you are in, gov.uk describes three uses. You can view your eVisa and get a share code to prove your immigration status — the page gives starting a new job or renting a home as the examples. You can travel with your eVisa after you add your passport or travel document details. And you can use the share code route whenever someone needs to verify your status without seeing your whole account.

The sharing mechanism is the practical heart of the system. A share code lets you prove your status to a third party — an employer, a landlord — without handing over your UKVI account. The mechanics of share codes, and the checks to run before you travel, are covered in our dedicated eVisa and share code guide; this page stays with access and the account.

Adding your passport or travel document

Travelling on an eVisa depends on your document details being attached to it. gov.uk states that you can travel with your eVisa after you add your passport or travel document details. That steps the task into two: first add the document to your eVisa, then travel on it.

If your passport changes — a renewal, a new document, a corrected name — the details held against your eVisa need to match the document you will actually present at the border. That is why the passport or travel document details are part of the eVisa setup rather than a one-off formality. Keep them current, and confirm they are right before a trip rather than at the airport.

If you are also preparing a photo for one of the related UK application steps, our immigration ID check app guide and UK photo code guide cover the image side, the photo size chart lists formats, and the passport photo checker can test a photo against the published figures.

A short access checklist

• Set up a UKVI account if you do not have one — it is required to reach your eVisa.
• Remember that setting up the account and accessing your eVisa are free.
• View your eVisa to confirm your status and conditions are recorded correctly.
• Learn how to get a share code before you need it for a job or a tenancy.
• Add your passport or travel document details before you travel.
• Check your vignette or BRC situation if you still hold one.

Frequently asked questions

What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status — for example the type of visa you have or whether you have indefinite leave to remain (settlement) — and of the conditions of your status, such as whether you are allowed to work or study in the UK.

When do I get an eVisa?
You get an eVisa when you successfully apply for a visa or another type of permission to be in the UK. It is created as part of a successful application rather than something you request separately.

Do I still need a physical immigration document?
eVisas have replaced physical immigration documents. If you have a biometric residence card (BRC) you may still be able to use it in some situations, and a visa vignette (sticker) remains valid until it expires.

How do I access my eVisa?
You need a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access your eVisa. If you do not already have one, you can set up a UKVI account.

Does it cost anything to set up a UKVI account or access my eVisa?
No. You do not need to pay to set up a UKVI account or to access your eVisa.

What can I do with my eVisa?
You can view your eVisa and get a share code to prove your immigration status — for example when you start a new job or rent a home — and, after adding your passport or travel document details, you can travel with your eVisa.

What is a share code for?
A share code lets you prove your immigration status to someone who needs to check it, such as an employer or a landlord, without handing over your UKVI account. For more on how share codes work, see our eVisa and share code guide.

Can I travel with an eVisa?
Yes. The gov.uk page says you can travel with your eVisa after you add your passport or travel document details to it.

What happens to my visa sticker (vignette)?
A visa vignette (sticker) remains valid until it expires, so an eVisa does not cancel a vignette that is still in date.

Does an eVisa change my immigration status?
No. An eVisa is a digital record of the status and conditions you already have; it records your identity, your immigration status and the conditions of that status rather than creating new rights.

Related: the eVisa and share code guide, the BRC to eVisa guide, the UK ETA guide, the photo size chart, or browse every guide on the guides page.

All guides →  eVisa & share code →

Source: GOV.UK, “eVisas: access and use your online immigration status” (gov.uk/evisa), retrieved 2026-09-30. eVisa processes, UKVI account setup and travel requirements can change, so confirm the current steps on gov.uk before you rely on them.