GovWire

Guidance: Using your UK Visas and Immigration account

Uk Visas Immigration

November 9
09:30 2022

You can use your UKVI account to sign in to services which allow you to:

  • view and prove your online immigration status (also known as an eVisa)
  • keep your details up to date

Your UKVI account

You have a UKVI account if you:

  • applied to the EU Settlement Scheme
  • applied for a visa and used the UK Immigration: ID Check app

You do not have a UKVI account if you went to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Service Support Centre (SSC) to prove your identity when applying for a visa.

View and prove your immigration status

You can sign in to the online View and Prove service using your UKVI account details.

Use this service to view your eVisa and check what rights you have in the UK, for example your right to work or claim benefits.

You can also use this service to prove your status to others, such as employers, landlords or education providers, by generating a share code which gives them time-limited access to relevant data.

Youll need to provide this share code, along with your date of birth, to the person who needs to check your information.

Where we provide automatic access to your immigration status

Some government departments and public authorities can automatically access your immigration status information. Currently, this includes the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Social Security Scotland and NHS England and Wales.

You do not need to share your status to be able to access these services. Departments will confirm your identity and then access the information directly.

If the organisation does need to see your status, theyll inform you and youll be able to use the View and Prove service to share your immigration status information with them.

Updating your details

Tell us if your travel document or personal details change.

Its important that you keep your personal details on your UKVI account up to date so you can continue to access your account, and to avoid any unnecessary delays at the UK border.

You can update your details through the update your UK Visas and Immigration account details service or by using the update details function in the View and Prove service.

Youll need to update your details if there are changes to:

  • your ID document, passport or travel document
  • your account sign in details (email address and phone number)
  • your name or nationality

Once youve updated your details, youll need to use your new details to access your account.

You can also use the update details service to tell us about a change to your address or contact details (if these are different to your sign in details).

If you have a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or Biometric Residence Card (BRC), find out how to update your details.

Crossing the UK border

If you have a UKVI account, well digitally check your information on arrival. You will not usually need to prove your status when crossing the border.

If you also hold a BRP or BRC, you should always carry it with you as you may need to show this to your carrier (for example airline or transport provider) or at the border.

Make sure the document you travel on is registered to your UKVI account. Update your details if you plan to travel on a different document (for example a new passport).

When you tell us of a new document your old document will remain linked to your account, and if its still valid you can use either document to travel.

If you have told us of a new document but are still awaiting confirmation that your account has been updated, you should carry your old document as well if possible.

If you hold multiple travel documents, for example a passport and an identity card, or two passports, you should ensure that you register all the documents that you intend to use for travel purposes.

Using an identity card to enter the UK

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need a passport to enter the UK.

You can also use your national identity card to enter the UK until at least 31 December 2025 if you:

If you have status under the EUSS or a frontier worker permit and you hold a national identity card that you intend to use for travel, you should ensure that the identity card is registered to your UKVI account.

Read further guidance on what documents youll need to enter the UK.

Help accessing your UKVI account

If you need help accessing or using your UKVI account, including accessing your eVisa and proving your rights, contact the UKVI Resolution Centre.

The Resolution Centre provides telephone and email support to all account holders. Support includes:

  • helping you access or recover your account
  • helping you update your personal details
  • sharing your status on your behalf, if you are unable to do so yourself

How we protect your data

You can find information on how the Home Office uses and protects your personal data by reading the following privacy notices:

Published 1 July 2021
Last updated 9 November 2022 +show all updates
  1. Added DVLA to the list of departments with automatic access to immigration status.

  2. Updated to inform customers that Social Security Scotland have automatic access to a customer's immigration status.

  3. Updated details on using an identity card to enter the UK.

  4. <

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