eVisas
The UK Government is transitioning to a digital system, requiring individuals with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), Biometric Residence Card (BRC), or passport endorsements or vignette stickers to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and apply for an eVisa.
Contents
What is an eVisa
An eVisa is defined by the Home Office as an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
eVisas will serve as proof of your immigration status and specify conditions such as your right to work and right to rent in the UK.
For more information, the Home Office has created a video titled What is an eVisa? You can watch this video to learn more about how eVisas work and how to manage your status online. The video is only available in English.
If you are a BRP holder
Anyone who is a BRP holder must apply for their eVisa by 31st December 2024.
Children also need an eVisa, and if they are not able to do this themselves, a parent, guardian or responsible adult can set this up for them using this guidance: creating a UKVI account for a child (GOV.UK).
It is important to know that updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
It is recommended you keep your BRP card after you have activated your eVisa account, even if the card has expired.
To apply for an eVisa
You no longer need to be invited to apply for an eVisa. If you are a BRP holder it is important you apply for your eVisa before the 31st of December 2024.
To apply for your eVisa you must have access to:
- A smart phone, with the UK Immigration ID app downloaded.
- Your BRP, application number
- Your BRP or passport
UKVI have produced a number of videos on the Home Office youtube channel guiding you through how to apply for your eVisa.
If you have any issues or difficulties creating an eVisa, please see below support options.
Support for applying for your eVisa
The UK Government has funded national and local organisations across the North West to assist individuals in applying for their eVisa. For a full list of providers across the UK, you can visit the List of organisations (www.gov.uk)
You can also contact the national provider, Migrant Help (migranthelpuk.org), which has received a grant to support vulnerable individuals transitioning to eVisas. They can be reached via:
- Telephone: 07483 170100
- Email: [email protected]
We Are Group
UKVI also have a helpline though their customer service group WeAre. You can contact WeAre if:
- You do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
- Do not have access to the internet
- Do not have access to a device that accesses the internet
[email protected]
Text ‘VISA’ and a number to call you on to 07537 416 944
Telephone: 03333 445 675
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
eVisa Resources
- You can watch a video produced by UKVI on how to create your UKVI account and access your eVisa . UKVI has also provided a Online immigration status (eVisa): help videos – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Lancashire County Council has a dedicated eVisa page on their website, with translated guidance available in Arabic, Dari, Pashtu, and Ukrainian.
- Free Movement offers a detailed step-by-step guide on applying for an eVisa (freemovement.org.uk).
- Right to Remain has provided a summary of the transition to eVisas
- Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) has published a briefing on eVisas and the expiry of Biometric Residence Permits (BRP) (gmiau.org).
If you are supporting someone with an eVisa
It is important to note that supporting someone with setting up an eVisa account is not considered immigration advice and it is free to create an account. Anyone can support with setting up an eVisa account.
Right to Remain have produced guidance on how to support someone with the transition to eVisa (righttoremain.org)
If you're an employer
Employers should continue to instruct new and prospective employees who need to verify their immigration status to use the online right to work service to generate a share code. This share code can then be used to verify their right to work through the service at https://www.gov.uk/view-right-to-work.
For current employees, employers are protected from civil penalties as long as the initial right to work check followed the guidance in place at the time. A follow-up check is only required if an employee’s permission to stay is set to expire, as indicated by the original check.
While most Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs) are due to expire on 31 December 2024, there is no need to recheck an employee’s status solely because their BRP or BRC is expiring. This is because the expiration applies to the document itself, not the individual’s immigration status or permission.
The Home Office recommends that employers inform their staff about these changes and the shift to a fully digital system. This could involve directing employees who rely on physical immigration documents to the relevant section of the Gov.UK website for up-to-date information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/online-immigration-status-evisa.
If you’re a landlord or housing provider
Individuals with an eVisa can only prove their right to rent with the Home Office online service: Prove your right to rent in England: Overview (www.gov.uk) Once they have done so, a 9 digit share code will be produced and this should be shared with the landlord/provider. This alongside other details, such a date of birth should enable a landlord to prove someone’s right to rent.
Share codes have specific numbers at the start to prove their intended purpose, for landlords, the share code should start with a R to stand for renting. Landlords are unable to accept any other type of share code.