UK eVisa: how to get a share code and fix BRP problems

An eVisa is a digital record of your immigration status. If you have a UK visa, settled status or other permission to be in the UK, you can use it to prove your right to work, rent or travel. This guide explains how to get access, how share codes work, what to do if you have an old BRP, and how to report mistakes. All information is from GOV.UK pages.

What is an eVisa?

An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and status. Anyone with a UK visa, settled status, a digital record of exemption or a digital certificate of entitlement can use one. If you have a vignette (a sticker in your passport), it stays valid until it expires and using an eVisa is optional. A physical document with no expiry date can also still be used, and you can apply for a free no-time-limit (NTL) update; it can take up to 6 months, needs biometrics and you keep using the physical document meanwhile (GOV.UK eVisa guide). Each dependant, including children, needs their own account. An ETA does not need an eVisa.

How do I get an eVisa and create a UKVI account?

You may already have an account if you used the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app, created an account earlier, replaced a BRP or BRC, or applied to the EU Settlement Scheme. Do not create a second account (GOV.UK eVisa guide).

To create an account, you need a phone number and email you can use each time, plus one of these: a valid passport with a Global Web Form (GWF) reference or UKVI account number, a passport and your BRP number, or an expired BRP. You need a smartphone for the ID-check app, though there are alternatives. You can create an account for a child and update details when they turn 18 (GOV.UK eVisa guide).

How do I get a share code?

1. Sign in to your UKVI account using your passport, national ID card, BRC (valid or expired), expired BRP or UKVI customer number (GOV.UK eVisa guide).
2. Confirm with the code sent to your phone or email.
3. Create a share code for the person who needs to check, such as an employer or landlord. A code lasts 90 days.
4. Give the code and your date of birth to the employer, landlord or other person who needs to check.

Update your details first if your name or nationality changed, or if the photo no longer identifies you (GOV.UK eVisa guide).

How does an eVisa work for right to work and right to rent?

Non-British and non-Irish people use a share code or original immigration documents to prove their right to work. An employer or landlord cannot reject your documents and insist on a share code (right to work guidance). British and Irish citizens use a passport. Right to rent checks only apply in England (right to rent guidance). A certificate of entitlement vignette cannot produce a share code, though a digital certificate can (right to work guidance). If you cannot view your eVisa, you can use alternative right-to-work and right-to-rent routes.

I still have a BRP. What should I do?

BRPs were issued for permission granted on or before 31 October 2024. They have now expired. An expired BRP can only be used to sign in and get a share code, create a UKVI account or apply to extend. GOV.UK says an expired BRP can be used for 24 months after the printed expiry date or until 31 December 2026, whichever is first (GOV.UK BRP page; GOV.UK eVisa guide). The right-to-work and right-to-rent pages say 18 months, which does not match. Follow the BRP and eVisa pages, and create or check your UKVI account now.

What if my BRP is lost or stolen?

GOV.UK says you must report a lost or stolen expired BRP. Failing to do so can lead to a fine of up to £1,000 and being made to leave the UK. If you find a BRP after reporting it, you must destroy it by cutting through the details, the coat of arms and the chip (GOV.UK BRP page).

Can I travel with an eVisa?

Check that your account and eVisa details are correct and that your passport details match the information your airline has. Carry a physical document as extra proof if you have one, and add the passport you are travelling with to your account (GOV.UK eVisa guide). If your passport details change while you are abroad and you have a biometric passport, you can update the number, expiry date, name and nationality online. If you do not, ask UKVI. If an airline cannot check your eVisa, ask them to contact the Border Force carrier support hub (GOV.UK eVisa guide). British and Irish dual citizens do not need an eVisa.

What if my eVisa shows an error or I cannot access it?

You should report an error if the details are wrong, you can view it but get no share code, you cannot view it after 24 hours, or the Home Office created an account you cannot enter. You will need a contact address, name, date of birth, nationality and one identifier. Someone else can report for you. UKVI aims to fix most issues within 5 working days, and complex ones within 15 working days (GOV.UK eVisa guide).

What to do now: step by step

1. Check whether you already have a UKVI account. Search your email for UKVI messages.
2. If not, create one with your passport or BRP details. Do the same for your children.
3. Sign in and check your name, date of birth, nationality, passport and status are right.
4. Add your current passport and update any changed details.
5. Generate a share code and test that it works. Keep your account email and phone number up to date.
6. Report errors early, before a job start date, tenancy or flight.

Common mistakes

• Creating a second account.
• Letting your phone number or email go out of date.
• Leaving a passport change until you are abroad.
• Forgetting each child needs a separate account.
• Relying on an expired BRP after the deadline.
• Assuming that a share code stays valid forever. It lasts 90 days.

Key dates

Date	What happens	Status
31 October 2024	BRPs were issued for permission granted on or before this date (GOV.UK BRP page)	Past
9 December 2026	Changes to EU Settlement Scheme rules on BRPs take effect (HC 584)	Announced, with a date
31 December 2026	Expired BRP use ends for sign-in, share codes and applications, if not already ended (GOV.UK eVisa guide)	In force, with an end date

Frequently asked questions

How long does an eVisa share code last?

90 days. You can use it more than once, and you can create a new one at any time.

Do I need an eVisa if I have a vignette?

No, it is optional. The vignette is valid until it expires.

Can I use my expired BRP?

Only to sign in, get a share code, create a UKVI account or apply to extend, for 24 months after expiry or until 31 December 2026, whichever is first.

Does my child need an eVisa?

Yes, each dependant needs their own account. You can help your child set it up.

What do I do if my eVisa is wrong?

Report an error through GOV.UK. UKVI aims to fix most in 5 working days.

Can I rent a home with an eVisa?

Yes, in England. Landlords can check your right to rent using a share code. They cannot reject your original documents because you did not give a share code.

Related Visa Tide guides

• UK ETA guide for visitors
• Graduate visa
• Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas
• UK immigration rule changes: October 2026 and key dates

This is general information, not immigration advice. Check GOV.UK or speak to an IAA-regulated adviser for your situation.

Sources

• eVisa – GOV.UK guide, updated 27 October 2026
• Biometric residence permits – GOV.UK, updated 18 September 2026
• Prove your right to work – GOV.UK, updated 5 October 2026
• Prove your right to rent – GOV.UK, updated 27 October 2026
• Statement of changes HC 584 – GOV.UK

All sources checked on 4 November 2026. Rules and fees change, so check the linked pages for the latest version.