Understanding the UK's eVisa
An eVisa is not a new type of visa but a digital record of your immigration status. Instead of a physical sticker (vignette) in your passport or a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), your permission to enter and stay in the UK is held securely in an online
account. This digital record contains your identity, the type of visa you hold, and its conditions, such as your right to work or study. Since February 2026, all successful UK visa applicants from India, including tourists and students, are issued an eVisa. The system is designed to be more secure, as a digital record cannot be lost, stolen, or tampered with like a physical document.
How to Access Your eVisa
Accessing your digital status is done through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. After your visa is granted, you will receive instructions on how to set up this account, which is free of charge. You will need to visit the official GOV.UK website to create or sign in to your UKVI account. To view your eVisa, you’ll typically need the passport you used for your application, your date of birth, and access to the email address or phone number linked to your account. Once logged in, you can see all the details of your immigration permission.
The Importance of Your UKVI Account
Your UKVI account is now your primary tool for managing your immigration status. It is crucial to ensure all the details in your account are accurate, especially your passport information. Before you travel, you must check that your current passport is correctly linked to your eVisa in your UKVI account. Airlines will verify your permission to travel automatically at check-in by checking your digital status. Any discrepancy between your passport details and your eVisa record could lead to delays or even being denied boarding. If you get a new passport, you must update the details in your UKVI account immediately to ensure seamless travel.
Proving Your Status with a 'Share Code'
While your eVisa is checked automatically by airlines, you may need to prove your status to others, such as employers or landlords. For this, you use a 'share code'. A share code is a unique, 9-character alphanumeric code that you can generate from your UKVI account. You provide this code and your date of birth to the third party, who can then use it on the GOV.UK website to view the specific details of your immigration status, like your right to work or rent. Each share code is valid for 90 days and you can generate new ones as needed. It’s a secure way to share your information without handing over physical documents.
Your Pre-Travel Checklist
With the move to a fully digital system, your travel preparation has changed. Before heading to the airport, ensure you have completed these steps: 1. Create and activate your UKVI account as soon as you receive instructions after your visa is granted. 2. Log in to your account to view your eVisa and verify that all personal details, visa conditions, and validity dates are correct. 3. Crucially, confirm that the passport you are travelling with is the one linked to your eVisa. 4. While not strictly necessary for boarding, it can be useful to have a screenshot of your eVisa status on your phone or a printout as a personal backup, in case of any technical issues. 5. Remember that the old method of tracking your application via a GWF number is for checking the application progress, not for accessing your final granted eVisa.
