An eVisa is a digital record of a person’s immigration status. It removes the need for physical documents such as the biometric residence permit (BRP), passports containing a visa vignette sticker (a physical visa sticker in a passport) or an immigration ink stamp, or the biometric residence card (BRC).

Customers who hold a BRP that expires on 31 December 2024, and who have immigration leave to be in the UK beyond this date, do not need to apply to renew their BRP, as all recently issued BRPs are due to expire on this date. Instead, these customers should follow the instructions below, or in the Home Office email sent to them, to create a UKVI account.

Creating a UKVI account is free, straightforward, and will not usually require BRP holders to send the Home Office either their passport or BRP.

• This applies even to customers recently issued with a BRP.
• In the meantime, customers can use their BRP as normal.

Once a customer with a BRP has created their UKVI account, they should update their account with any new passport or contact details. The 'Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details’ service is an online service available to customers who have a UKVI account, which enables them to update their details, including travel documents. The service can be accessed at Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

You should keep your BRP card as you may need the reference number for future applications to stay in the UK.

If you do not already have a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, you will be asked to:

• create a UKVI account
• confirm your identity using the ‘UK Immigration ID Check’ app

You will need:

• access to a smartphone
• a mobile phone number
• an email address 
• your BRP card or a valid passport with your BRP number or visa application number

You must give a phone number and email address you can use again. You’ll need them each time you use your eVisa to prove your immigration status online.

You should create your UKVI account at: https://www.gov.uk/get-access-evisa. 

Everyone that uses a BRP who does not already have an eVisa is affected by this change, as BRPs are all due to expire at the end of 2024.

These changes will bring significant benefits to customers who hold an immigration status in the UK:

• An eVisa cannot be lost, stolen or damaged.

• Customers can prove their rights instantly, accurately and securely to anyone who requests it while sharing only necessary information.

• It will prevent unnecessary delays when travelling internationally where customers travel using the passport/national identity document linked to their UKVI account.

• Customers can access many UK government services and benefits without needing to present proof of immigration status. This is because selected government departments and authorities can securely access immigration status information. Immigration data is held securely, and government will never sell customer data. Further information on how the Home Office handles customer data can be found here on GOV.UK.

Yes, each person, even if it is a minor, must have their own separate UKVI account and set up their Evisa.

Step-by-step guide that has been translated into Ukrainian shared by Lancashire County Council. This document aims to help customers with completing their online account and accessing their E-Visa.

• e-visa-guidance-ukrainian.pdf (lancashire.gov.uk)
• e-visa-guidance.pdf (lancashire.gov.uk)

• What is an eVisa? (youtube.com)
• How to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and get access to your eVisa (youtube.com)
• How to Travel With Your eVisa (youtube.com)

There are no immediate changes for those who check immigration statuses, including, carriers, employers and landlords. Status checkers should continue to accept the ‘share code’ to check someone’s status through the right to work, right to rent, and check immigration status services:

• Right to work: https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work.
• Right to rent (in England only): www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-rent.
• Check immigration status: www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status.

Those checking can continue to accept valid physical documents in some circumstances.

Further information on this available at www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk for right to work checks and www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents for right to rent checks.

An eVisa is not an application for Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) Scheme or any other Ukraine Scheme. The Ukraine Permission Extension scheme is due to open for applications from early 2025. Details of its launch will be available closer to the time, and you do not need to take any immediate action to apply now.

Customers should continue to carry their in-date physical immigration documents with them when they travel internationally.

Please take a look at the new travel guidance to proactively resolve issues related to an eVisa before travel.

 If customers hold a BRP as well as an eVisa, then they do not need to create do anything to anything. Customers who already have an eVisa should ensure that their UKVI account is kept up to date with their latest contact information and any passport which they intend to travel with using the ‘Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details’ service at www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status.

BRP holders should take steps to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa before it expires to prevent any unnecessary delays in proving their rights. Customers with expired BRPs will not be able to use them to travel internationally.

Customers will be able to create an account quickly and easily post-2024, using their expired BRP if needed, at www.gov.uk/evisa. BRP holders will still be able to use the online right to work and rent services to prove their rights once their BRP expires – provided they still have valid status – although they are encouraged to register for a UKVI account and to use that to access those services.