Online Immigration Status: eVisa
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital immigration system. This means UKVI are replacing physical documents with an online record of your immigration status. This is known as an eVisa.
The Student Immigration Service will continue to update this page setting out further instructions and guidance as they become available.
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.
UKVI will update their information on how you will be able to prove your immigration status in early to mid 2024.
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):
| Student Visa Errors | ||||||||||
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One of the most common errors is with the expiry date of your Student Visa permission. It is very important that you check your Student Visa permission length as early as possible and get it corrected. The amount of time you are given after your studies will depend on the type and length of your programme:
If your Student Visa BRP card expires on 31 December 2024 but your visa permission allows you to stay longer, this is not an error. However, it is important that you check the actual length of your visa permission. If you have a BRP card, you should check your decision email or letter for the length of your visa permission. |
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 likely need to create a UKVI account in order to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status and conditions.
UKVI will provide you instructions directly on what you need to do and when. UKVI have set up a dedicate page on eVisas which you should check regularly for further instructions.
If you have already been contacted to create a UKVI account, either by email or in a decision letter, you should follow the instructions UKVI have provided you directly to create a UKVI account.
If you have not yet been contacted about creating an account, you will be able to create your account and access your e-Visa later in 2024. Again, UKVI will provide you instructions direct on what you need to do and when. We would encourage you to sign up for updates here.
Once you have an updated eVisa or digital immigration status, you will need to provide the University with a Share Code. Throughout 2024, Student Immigration Service will contact you directly to highlight these instructions to you as they come in; prompt you to take any necessary actions; and direct you to the relevant guidance.
Provide the University with a Share Code
Once you have an updated eVisa or digital immigration status, you will need to provide the University with a Share Code. Throughout 2024, Student Immigration Service will contact you directly to highlight these instructions to you as they come in; prompt you to take any necessary actions; and direct you to the relevant guidance.