UK eVisa: What Replaces Your BRP Card in 2025 (Complete Guide)

The UK Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) — the physical plastic card that proved your immigration status — has been permanently replaced by the eVisa. From 31 December 2024, BRP cards are no longer issued. Your immigration status is now held digitally in a UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) online account. This guide explains exactly what this means for you and how to access and use your eVisa.

What is the eVisa?

An eVisa is a digital record of your UK immigration permission. It contains the same information your BRP card did — your name, date of birth, nationality, the type of leave you have, and its expiry date — but it exists only online, in your UKVI account. There is no new physical card.

• Your eVisa is accessed through your UKVI online account at gov.uk/check-immigration-status
• You can create a Share Code from your account to prove your status to employers, landlords, and others
• Your old BRP card is no longer valid as evidence of your immigration status — even if it has not expired
• Your passport stamp is also no longer valid proof of status if you have an eVisa
• The eVisa is free — there is no charge to create or access your UKVI account

How to create your UKVI account

If you had a BRP card, you should have been sent an email from UKVI with instructions to create your online account. If you have not done this yet, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Go to gov.uk/evisa and click "Create a UKVI account"
• Step 2: Enter the email address you used in your visa application — this is linked to your record
• Step 3: Verify your identity using your passport and the UKVI app on your smartphone (you will scan your passport chip)
• Step 4: Once verified, you will see your eVisa — your digital immigration record
• Step 5: Bookmark the UKVI account page or save the app — you will need it to generate Share Codes
• Note: If you do not have a smartphone that can scan NFC passport chips, you can complete verification by post. Contact the UKVI helpline on 0300 790 6268.

How to use your eVisa to prove your status

You prove your UK immigration status to employers, landlords, and others by generating a Share Code from your UKVI account. A Share Code is a unique 9-character code that lets the other party verify your status online. It is valid for 90 days.

• Log in to your UKVI account at gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status
• Click "Generate a share code"
• Select the purpose (work, renting, or other)
• Share the code and your date of birth with the employer or landlord
• They enter the code at gov.uk/check-immigration-status — they can see your status instantly
• Codes expire after 90 days — generate a fresh code each time you need one

Travelling with an eVisa

Travelling internationally with an eVisa is different from the old BRP process. Airlines and border agents now check your status digitally rather than by looking at your BRP card.

• When booking flights: ensure the airline has your correct passport number on file
• At the border: UK Border Force can see your eVisa in their system when they scan your passport
• If you travel on a different passport (e.g. you renewed your passport after getting your visa): you must update your UKVI account with your new passport details before travelling, otherwise your eVisa will not link to your new document
• Returning to the UK: you do not need to show a Share Code at the border — your passport is scanned and your status is checked automatically
• If you have problems entering the UK: ask to speak to a Border Force officer; do not attempt to use your old BRP card

What to do if you cannot access your eVisa

• Contact UKVI directly: 0300 790 6268 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm)
• Use the UKVI web form at gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk
• If your passport has changed since your visa was granted, you must update your UKVI account — this can cause access issues
• If your email address has changed, you may need to contact UKVI to link your new email to your existing record
• Citizens Advice can help you navigate UKVI issues for free