Changing your BRP to eVisa

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is moving to a digital visa system from 1 January 2025.  This means the UKVI is replacing your student visas (in physical documents like BRP) with an online record of your immigration status (also known as an eVisa).

Who will be affected by the UKVI transition to eVisa?

Students who already have a eVisa will not be affected by this transition.  Most EU, EEA and Swiss nationals, and some students who applied for their current immigration permission inside the UK, will have been able to apply using the UK Immigration: ID Check App and will already have an eVisa and a UKVI account.  It gives the access to your student visa information online (including providing a relevant share code to prove your immigration status for studying, working and renting).  If you have been issued with a BRP, please read on the following information.

Students whose current BRPs expire before 31 December 2024 will not be affected by this transition.

Students whose current BRPs expire on 31 December 2024 with longer visa permission granted by the UKVI to stay in the UK beyond the end of 2024, will be affected by this transition.  If you are not sure whether your current student visa length is beyond 31 December 2024 or not, it is important that you check your UKVI decision email or letter for the actual length of your student visa.  If you have dependants here with you in the UK, they will be affected also if they have been issued with BRPs.

What shall I do if I will be affected by the eVisa transition?

The UKVI will contact student visa holders being affected directly via email, with the instructions on what they should do next and when.  You can find more information about this on their dedicated webpage where you can also sign up for further UKVI updates on when you can get your UKVI account and access your eVisa.

The UKVI has informed the UK Higher Education sector that they have already contacted groups of student visa holders by email at the beginning of April, asking them to sign up and create their UKVI account and get access to their eVisa.

At present, the ability to do this is by UKVI invitation only.  This is because the UKVI is using a phased approach to rollout the eVisa service for different groups of student visa holders at different stages.  It is planned that all student visa holders being affected by this transition will be able to make the switch to eVisas in this coming summer.

If you have been contacted by the UKVI via email, you should follow the instructions given directly to you such as how to create your own UKVI account.
Please note here the UKVI could only contact you via the email address provided on your application when you applied for your current student visa.  If you don’t or no longer have the access to that email for whatever reason (such as your agent applied for the student visa on your behalf), it is likely that you will not receive an invitation email from the UKVI at this stage.

If you have not been contacted by the UKVI via email yet, you should be able to create your UKVI account and access your e-Visa in this coming summer as announced by the UKVI.

What shall I do if I encounter problems with creating my UKVI account or accessing my eVisa?

In the first instance, please check your UKVI email for the online help resources they provide.  Alternatively you may be able to contact them for help via this UKVI website.

How do I know if I have a UKVI account or not?

You should have a UKVI account if you used the 'UK Immigration: ID Check app' to verify your identity as part of your immigration application process.

If you applied for your visa by submitting your biometric details in person at a Visa Application Centre, then it is likely that you do not have a UKVI account yet.

An important note about your UKVI account - You must not share your UKVI account with anyone else as this account should only be owned and accessed by yourself to provide your immigration status proof when required.

I already have a UKVI account, do I need to do anything?

If you already have a UKVI account you should have access to an eVisa, you should be able to continue to use the same account to View and Prove your immigration status after 1 January 2025.
You need to make sure that you keep your UKVI account up-to-date with any changes to your personal details (including your name, nationality and appearance), your contact details (address, email, and phone number) and your identity documents (your current BRP and/or passport).
You must also ensure that you have a current identity document linked to your UKVI account at all times. You can find out how to update your UKVI account here.

I think there is an error with my BRP or eVisa, what should I do?

You can find information about what to do if you think there is an error with your BRP or visa here.

What shall I do after having access to my eVisa?

You will need to generate a share code using the UKVI View and Prove your immigration status service (the share code must begin with an S) so you can upload it via an online form later this year to update your student eVisa record at the University.  When the form is ready, the web link will be provided here so please check this section regularly for an update.

In the Autumn 2024, the University Visa Expiry team will also contact the student visa holders whose BRPs expire on 31 December 2024 and have not provided a share code, as a reminder to update their study eVisa expiry dates that are beyond 2024.

What should I do when travelling overseas? 

During 2024, for those who have BRPs, you must continue to carry your in-date BRP when travelling internationally until it expires.

From next year, airlines and other carriers will be able to digitally check your eVisa to confirm your immigration status if your passport is linked to your UKVI account.

When you create your UKVI account, you must add the details of any passport you wish to use for travel. You can find out how to update your UKVI account here.

What should I do with my BRP after having access to my eVisa valid beyond 31 December 2024? 

The UKVI has advised those BRP holders to continue carrying their BRP with them for international travel until it expires.

At present, there is no UKVI information available on what to do with the BRPs expiring on 31 December 2024.  When such information becomes available, it will be provided here so please check this section regularly for an update.

How to get further help?

In an unlikely event, if you have not heard from the UKVI somehow after this summer or have further issues with updating your UKVI account, you can get in touch with the University Student Visa Advice team by email for help on studentvisaadvice@leeds.ac.uk quoting your student ID number with the description of the issues encountered.