Applying for an eVisa

BRPs are being replaced by digital eVisas.

A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is a secure identity card that can be used to confirm someones: identity, right to study, right to any public services or benefits.

Most BRPs have an expiry date of 31 December 2024 (this expiry date refers to the document only, not to the holder’s underlying immigration status). Anyone with a BRP that expires on 31 December 2024 should apply for an eVisa before then. 

People who need to apply for an eVisa are:

• People with Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) 
• People with Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs)
• People with their immigration status displayed as a stamp in their passport, or a vignette sticker

In this guide we explain what you need to know to support someone who’s applying for an eVisa.

What are eVisas?

An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. They replace the outgoing biometric residence permits (BRP).

This short, animated, Home Office video explains what an eVisa is in more detail.

What are the benefits of an eVisa? 

The benefits of eVisas include: 

• they are 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 application is decided
• it will be quicker and easier to prove your status at the UK border, and share your status with third parties like employers and landlords 

For full details, visit Gov.uk

Who is eligible?

For an eVisa you must have permission to stay in the UK:

• for longer than 6 months
• which was granted in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland (not the Channel Islands or Isle of Man)

You cannot get access to an eVisa if you:

• have a visa for less than 6 months, such as a visitor visa
• have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit
• have an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)
• are exempt from immigration control, including if you’re a diplomat or have ‘right of abode’

What do you need to apply for an eVisa? 

To get an eVisa you first need to have a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account. You do not have to pay to create a UKVI account. 

It is important to remember that you can create a UKVI account after the deadline of the 31 December 2024. You will not be penalised for not making the transition in time. However you may experience problems if you try to prove your immigration status without an eVisa after this deadline.

You will need: 

• a smartphone (this does not have to be the phone of the person applying if they are being supported to make the application) 
• a phone number (that the person making the UKVI account can access)
• an email address (that the person making the UKVI account can access)
• access to the internet
• you’ll also need one of the following, if you have them: 
• your BRP card
• a valid passport and your visa application number - this is a global web form (GWF) number or unique application number (UAN)
• a valid passport and your biometric residence permit (BRP) number
• an e-visa reference number (those granted refugee status from the 1st November will be given this in an email or letter by the Home Office)

If you have a valid passport or BRP, you’ll need access to a smartphone so that you can install an app to confirm your identity. If you don’t have a valid passport or BRP, you won’t need a smartphone.

The eVisa applicant needs to be with you when you apply for the eVisa so their photograph can be taken, this includes children.

To make a UKVI account, visit Gov.uk and select the ‘Start now’ button. 

After applying

It can take a few weeks for you to receive an email with a link to their eVisa. Once this arrives you may find it useful to put a link to the eVisa home screen on your phone so you can access it quickly.

Make sure to retain your BRP card (if you have one) as you need to use your BRP number to log in.