Digital immigration status: eVisa

Watch the UKVI video about how to travel with your eVisa and read the guidance.

Before you leave the UK: 

1. Create your UKVI account and access your eVisa.  
2. Once your eVisa is viewable use the update your UKVI account details service to add the passport you’ll use for travel to your account. 
3. Use the view and prove your immigration status service to check your immigration status is displaying correctly and you have permission to travel to the UK – if your immigration status is displaying incorrectly, report an error with your eVisa 

4. Take your passport, expired BRP card, your visa decision letter/email that you received when you got your original physical visa. We are recommending that you bring various forms of evidence with you in case your carrier has difficulties accessing your eVisa. The Home Office has advised on 4 December 2024 that some carriers may accept an expired BRP as evidence of your immigration status until 31 March 2025. 

Before you return to the UK: 

1. Generate a share code from the view and prove service to provide this to your carrier if necessary. Choose ‘something else’ as a reason. 
2. Travel with the passport linked to your UKVI account. 
3. Arrive earlier than normal at the airport/train station/ferry port in case it takes longer than expected to prove your immigration status to your carrier. 
4. Have your expired BRP, share code, visa decision letter/email in your hand luggage in case they are needed at check-in or at the UK border due to difficulties accessing your eVisa. 

You must update your UKVI account as soon there are any changes to your personal details, passport information, or contact details. Don't wait until you need to travel as updates to the system are not immediate and you may experience issues travelling to the UK.

When you set up your UKVI account, you will provide a phone number and email address to receive security codes to login into your account. You must maintain access to these contact details as security codes are sent each time you login to your UKVI account and update your account if you change your number or email address. 

If you can no longer receive these security codes you will have difficulties proving your status and will need to contact UKVI.

Proving your status to SOAS

If you have not already done so, you can provide a sharecode when completing the re-enrolment online task after receiving the invitation to re-enrol or submit it via SOAS Online Student Services.  

Use the ‘view and prove’ service to get your share code PDF. Select the option to 'prove your immigration status' (not the 'right to work' or 'right to rent' options) and then choose 'Something else' on the next screen. 

Proving right to rent and work

You can also prove your right to work and rent using the 'view and prove' service by choosing the relevant option when creating an eVisa.

Watch the UKVI video to find out more.

Report errors with your eVisa using the online form, such as:

• name
• sponsor reference
• photo
• National Insurance number
• visa restrictions - these say what you can and cannot do in the UK
• immigration status
• valid until date

We have been advised by UKVI that you should keep your expired BRP as this may be needed in the future. Do not destroy your BRP or throw it away.