Get an eVisa

What is an eVisa?

An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status. It will show the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.

To get access to your eVisa you need to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.

Once you have access to your eVisa, you can sign in to your UKVI account to view your eVisa and prove your immigration status.

Using an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions for you to enter or stay in the UK.

If you have a physical immigration document (BRP), you should continue to use it until it expires.

Create your eVisa

You can create your UKVI account using any of the following:

• Your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).
• A valid passport and your BRP number (if you have lost the BRP).
• A valid passport and your visa application number (if you have lost the BRP and do not know the BRP number). If you do not have your application reference number you can notify of this and will be directed to the UKVI's Request your reference number service.

You will need a smartphone or laptop, your identity document (BRP), and access to the UK Immigration: ID check app.

The Home Office has produced a video which may also help you follow the process: How to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and get access to your eVisa [YouTube]

Step 1: Create a UKVI Account

Visit GOV.UK's Get Access to your eVisa webpage.

Read the information and then select ‘Start Now’.

Answer the questions about when you were granted permission, and your BRP.

Click ‘Create an Account’

Complete the sections with your details:

• your name
• date of birth
• email address
• mobile phone number
• identity document - the University's International Advice team advise you to use your BRP for the identity document (and after you have the eVisa, update your passport details later if required).

Please check the details carefully when creating the account, particularly the BRP number and expiry date.

Step 2: Confirm your Identity

After you have created the account and logged in, you need to link your eVisa. You will be directed to download the UK Immigration: ID check app on your phone or tablet. Ask a friend to if you do not have access to a smartphone.

This app is for verifying your identity only, and can be deleted afterwards. It does not store your data.

Use the app to:

• Take a picture of the document you have used to set up the account (BRP or Passport).
• Scan your document. If it does not scan, try again if needed. The ‘chip scan’ part of the process is not a required step, but speeds up the request. When capturing the passport biographic page, ensure it is in the camera frame on the app screen and there is no glare. UKVI need a clear image of the document to complete checks against their records. There should be an option to click if you are unable to scan, and the eVisa should still be created.
• Scan your face and take your picture. This is a 'liveness' check and verifies that the features being presented are from a living person, not a copy or imitation.

Once the scanning is complete, you will be directed back to the online form to complete the following sections:

• Confirm your BRP or application number. If you are using your BRP card, please enter the BRP expiry date as it is shown on the card.
• Your location.
• Contact preferences.
• Account security questions.

After all of these sections are complete, you can submit the form. After the form is submitted, it may take a few days to get access to the eVisa.

Once you have your eVisa, you can view and prove your status. Please email your share code to visas@st-andrews.ac.uk.

If you created the account using your BRP card, you must add your current passport details to your account after you have access to your eVisa. If you update or renew your passport, you will need to update your passport details on your UKVI account.

If any of the information is incorrect, please report online.

Travel with your eVisa

Carry your BRP with you while it is valid. Even after it expires it's a good idea to keep it for future reference.

If you can’t see your eVisa straight away, don’t worry. The Home Office will email you when it's ready to view in your UKVI account. This usually takes 2 to 3 days but it can take up to 8 weeks. 

Before travelling internationally, make sure your personal details (including your passport details) are up to date on your UKVI account. If you have a new passport, or any of your personal details have changed, you need to update these on your UKVI account before you travel. Make sure you leave enough time to update your UKVI account before you travel.

If you've updated your passport details on your UKVI account but you are still waiting for confirmation your UKVI account has been updated, you should also carry your old document with you to avoid unnecessary delays at the border.

Your questions

I created the eVisa account with my BRP. What happens after 31 December when BRPs expire?

If you currently use the BRP number to sign in to the UKVI account, you should update the account with the passport details if these are not already linked. This will enable you to sign in with the passport number instead of the BRP number.

What happens if I don’t create a UKVI account in time? Are there any repercussions?

The University's International Advice team encourages everyone eligible to create their UKVI account by the end of 2024 to avoid issues when travelling and proving their rights in the UK. Although you will not lose your immigration status, as the border and immigration system becomes digital you may find it increasingly challenging to easily prove your rights and may face unnecessary delays when attempting to do so.

What happens if I am overseas and want to return to the UK using my valid student status but I’ve not set up my UKVI account?

You must set up an eVisa before returning.

I have an eVisa. What do I show to travel or show permission to travel?

The UKVI have developed technology that allows carriers, such as airlines, to automatically check immigration status via system-to-system checks. Commercial carriers are integrated with UKVI systems, enabling them to send data on travellers to the UKVI and receive messages confirming a passenger’s permission to travel.

If a carrier does not receive automatic confirmation of a passenger's permission to travel, they can check using valid physical documents where these are still being carried, the ’'View and Prove’ service, or by contacting the UKVI's 24/7 Carrier Support Hub for advice.

For exit checks, check with your country or carrier what proof may be required. Authorities may consider accepting things such as:

• A share code from the ‘View and Prove' service, which you may wish to create before travel (valid for 90 days).
• Viewing the status screen from the UKVI account.
• A physical document confirming your permission in the UK (valid vignette).

I’ve created a UKVI account but cannot see my eVisa details. Do I need to do anything?

If you cannot see your eVisa details after creating your UKVI account, you can report this to the Home Office via the Report an error with your eVisa form. You do not need to call the Home Office. You will be contacted by email within 10 working days of completing the form. You can continue to use your valid BRP to show your immigration status and can use the Right to Work and Right to Rent services.

Does it have to be a UK telephone number provided to create an account?

No, you can provide either a UK or international mobile number to create a UKVI account. As long as you can access messages sent to the number, such as two-factor authentication codes.

What if I don’t have a smartphone?

A smartphone or tablet is only needed for the UKVI account creation process. If possible, use a family member or friend's device. No data is stored on the device after the transaction. If this is not possible, get in-person support from the UKVI's Assisted Digital provider, We Are Group. A smartphone is not needed to use a UKVI account once it is set up.

I have a dependent child. Do children need a UKVI account?

Yes. Everyone needs their own account. Parents or guardians can act as a proxy on a child's UKVI account and use the online services on their behalf. Multiple family members can use the same email address.

My personal details have changed. How do I update my eVisa?

If you are in the UK and details have changed (for example, name, nationality, date of birth, sex marker or passport) you can update your UKVI account online.

If you are outside the UK, and your details have changed you cannot currently use the update service until you return to the UK. This can cause complications or delays when travelling back to UK. To avoid this you should apply for a single entry visa (£154) to enter the country and then update your details when you return.

Why do I need to keep an expired BRP?

The University's International Advice team recommends everyone keeps their BRP even when it is expired. Using an expired BRP as part of a future application for further permission might mean you do not need to re-enrol your fingerprints. If the BRP was used as the ID document to create a UKVI account, the BRP number may be needed to sign in.

If I discontinue my studies, how quickly will my eVisa end date update?

If you stop studying and we report this to UKVI, your permission may be cancelled according to current rules. The eVisa will be updated accordingly, to reflect any cancellation decision. You will be notified of the cancellation of your permission using the most recent contact details, so it is important you keep your UKVI account details up to date.

What about those who have legacy documents like indefinite leave to remain which they prove with a vignette sticker or wet-ink stamp in their passport? What happens if they do not create a UKVI account?

The UKVI are moving to a digital system. Those who have indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain (also known as settlement) and currently use a physical document like a wet-ink stamp in their passport or a vignette sticker to prove their rights are encouraged to make a No Time Limit (NTL) application now. This free service will give them a UKVI account to access their eVisa once their NTL application is approved. However, those who do not create a UKVI account can still use their legacy physical document, like a wet-ink stamp in their passport or a vignette sticker, to prove their rights and when travelling. The UKVI have no current plans to phase out these legacy documents but will keep this under review as they move to a digital system.