Online Immigration Status: eVisa

An eVisa or a digital visa will be an online record of your immigration status for the UK.  The transition to an eVisa will not affect your current immigration status or the conditions of your current immigration permission to enter or stay in the UK. 

In the future, you will be able to use an eVisa to travel to the UK and should not need to carry a physical document (except for your passport) when entering the UK.

The new eVisa or digital visa will contain important information, such as, the start and end dates of your immigration permission and the conditions of your immigration permission whilst in the UK.  

There are benefits to an eVisa or digital visa:

• These will be more secure and cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with (unlike a physical document)
• You will not need to wait for, or collect, a physical document after your visa application has been decided.  Please note that you may still need to provide biometric information in person
• It should be quicker and easier to prove your immigration status when entering the UK

The intention is for the eVisa to replace physical immigration documents such as:

• Biometric residence permits (BRP cards)
• Biometric residence cards (BRC)
• Endorsements on passports, such as, indefinite leave to enter vignettes
• Vignette stickers in passports, such as, entry clearance or visa vignettes

If you currently have a physical immigration document for any type of immigration permission to enter or stay in the UK, you will be affected by the transition to an eVisa.

Please be aware that the transition to eVisas will impact ALL individuals who have a physical immigration document to enter and stay in the UK.

If your BRP or BRC card expires on 31 December 2024 but your visa permission allows you to stay longer, this is not an error.  UKVI are phasing out physical immigration documents (as listed above).  You will not need a BRP card from 1 January 2025.  You’ll be able to prove your immigration status online, without a BRP.

If you currently have a BRP or BRC card that expires on 31 December 2024, it is important that you check the actual length of your visa permission.  You should check your decision email or letter for the length of your visa permission (see example of letter below):

If you currently have permission to stay in the UK and have either a BRP, a BRC or other physical documents to prove your immigration status, you will  need to create a UKVI account in order to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status and conditions. If your BRP or BRC expires after 31 December 2024, you will need to register for an eVisa before 31 December 2024. 

eVisa registration guidance 

Once you have an updated eVisa or digital immigration status, you will need to provide the University with a Share Code.  

Please note: if you have a BRP or BRC, you will need to continue carrying it with you when you travel outside of the UK until 31 December 2024.