06 Nov What an eVisa is – Who needs it

Posted at 11:51h in Individuals by

 

What an eVisa is

An eVisa is a digital record of your immigration status (for example, your Settled or Pre-Settled Status, or another type of visa).
It replaces physical documents such as:

  • Biometric residence permits (BRP)
  • Biometric residence cards (BRC)
  • Paper vignettes or visa stickers in passports

From January 2025, the Home Office is phasing out BRPs and other physical proof. By end of 2025, everyone will need to use an eVisa to work, live or travel in the UK.

  • If you have Settled or Pre-Settled Status, you may already have an eVisa — you just need to link it to your online UKVI account.

 

Who Needs an eVisa in the UK

Anyone with immigration permission to stay in the UK

That includes people who have:

  • Settled Status or Pre-Settled Status (under the EU Settlement Scheme)
  • Work Visas (Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Global Talent, etc.)
  • Student Visas
  • Family Visas or partner visas
  • Graduate Visas

If you have permission to live, work, or study in the UK — and you’re not a British or Irish citizen — you’ll need an eVisa by the end of 2025.

From 2025 onwards, even short-term visitors from visa-free countries (like EU nations, the USA, Canada, etc.) will start using a new system called an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) — similar to an eVisa but for short stays.

So eventually, everyone who enters or lives in the UK will have digital immigration status — either an eVisa or an ETA.

 

What you need to do

1. Create or sign in to your UKVI account here:
👉 https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status

You’ll need:

  • The email address or phone number.
  • Your date of birth
  • The identity document you originally used, if you already have a UKVI account (old passport, ID card, or BRP).

2. Check if you already have an eVisa.

If you currently have Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme, your status is already stored digitally — that’s effectively your eVisa.

You just need to make sure your account and passport are linked correctly so you can continue proving your rights in the UK.

3. If you already have a UKVI account and update your details.

Choose the option to: “Update your passport, travel document, or identity card details.”

This will take you through a short online form

4. Provide your new passport details

You’ll need to enter:

  • Your new passport number
  • Issue date and expiry date
  • Nationality
  • Possibly upload a photo of the new passport information page (if requested)

You’ll receive an email confirmation from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) once your new passport is linked.

5. Make sure your passport or travel document details are up to date in your UKVI account — otherwise, your eVisa might not match your travel documents.

 

⚠️ Important reminders

  • You must update your passport details every time you renew or change it.
  • Always travel with the passport that’s linked to your eVisa — otherwise, border officers might not see your status right away.
  • Keep your UKVI account email and phone number up to date, too.
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