Travelling With an eVisa: Steps to Follow
In This Article
1. Understanding eVisas and International Travel
2. Ensure Your UKVI Account and eVisa Details Are Up to Date Before Travel
3. Booking Flights and Transport with an eVisa
4. Documents Required at the UK Border
5. International Air, Sea and Rail Carriers
6. How to Prove Your UK Immigration Status Abroad
7. Troubleshooting eVisa Access Issues While Abroad
8. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Glossary
1. Understanding eVisas and International Travel
If you had a BRP that expired on 31 December 2024 and have now set up your UKVI account, or you have recently been issued with an eVisa, you may be wondering what this means for your future travel in and out of the UK.
The Home Office has suggested that international travel will be easier using the digital eVisa system and has produced this video guide and online guidance. Based on this guidance, this post sets out the steps you should follow when travelling with an eVisa.
For an introduction to eVisas, see our earlier post, ‘From BRPs to eVisas: The UK’s Digital Immigration Transition’. This Home Office factsheet also provides a useful introduction to the transition to eVisas.
2. Ensure Your UKVI Account and eVisa Details Are Up to Date Before Travel
You should always keep your UKVI account up to date with your current details including your name, address, contact details and passport details. It is important to check these details are correct before you travel abroad.
Is Your Passport Linked to Your eVisa?
Before travelling, you need to sign in to your UKVI account and check that your account is linked to your current passport or travel document, otherwise, you may be delayed at the border when entering the UK.
If you have updated your passport details before travel but are still waiting for confirmation that your UKVI account has been updated, the Home Office advise carrying your old passport with you when you travel (if you retain it), in addition to your current one, to avoid delays.
If you have more than one nationality and hold more than one current passport, you can add your additional passports to your UKVI account.
Check your other personal details are correct in your UKVI account
You should also check that your other personal details in your UKVI account are correct. The Home Office has produced this guidance on updating your UKVI account details.
It should usually be quick to update your account details. However, if you are updating certain key details such as your name, date of birth or nationality, this may take longer as you will need to upload documents to evidence the change.
Are Your UKVI Account Details Up to Date?
Before you travel, you should also use the ‘view and prove your immigration status’ service to check that your immigration status is displaying correctly on your eVisa. If your immigration status is not shown or is displayed incorrectly, you should use this service to report an error in your eVisa.
Why You Need a Share Code Before Travelling
You should also use the ‘view and prove your immigration status’ service to get a ‘share code’, as your travel provider may ask to see it. A share code is valid for 90 days. You will need a stable internet connection to get a share code – the Home Office advises printing a copy of your share code before you travel.
3. Booking Flights and Transport with an eVisa
When booking your travel, for instance when booking flights, make sure that the personal details you give to the travel provider match with the details on your UKVI account (and that they relate to the passport on which you plan to travel).
4. Documents Required at the UK Border
What you will need to show
When you arrive at the UK border, you need to show the passport or travel document that is linked to your UKVI account at the eGates or to a Border Force Officer.
Carrying physical evidence of your status
The Home Office advises that if you have physical evidence of your immigration status in the UK, you should also carry it with you. If you have a BRP that expired on 31 December 2024 and still have valid leave in the UK, the Home Office has stated that it intends passengers to be able to use their expired BRP to travel to the UK until 31 March 2025.
5. International Air, Sea and Rail Carriers
When travelling to or from the UK, international air, sea or rail carriers will check your passport or travel document. When a carrier enters the details of your passport or travel document linked to your UKVI account into their system, they should receive a message from the Home Office confirming whether you have an eVisa. This is why it is important to ensure that you keep your passport and other details up to date in your UKVI account.
6. How to Prove Your UK Immigration Status Abroad
The Home Office states that it is the traveller’s responsibility to check the entry, exit and transit requirements of other countries and notes that individuals may be required to show evidence of their UK immigration status to authorities there.
The Home Office guidance suggests that the immigration authorities or officials may accept the following as evidence of an individual’s UK immigration status:
- A share code from the ‘view and prove your immigration status’ service;
- A screenshot from your UKVI account;
- A physical document confirming UK status or permission;
- A copy of a letter or email received from the Home Office granting your leave to enter or stay in the UK.
7. Troubleshooting eVisa Access Issues While Abroad
If you have lost access to the phone number or email address linked to your UKVI account
To access your eVisa via your UKVI account, a security code is normally sent to either the mobile phone number or email address linked to the account.
If you have lost access to your phone and email, visit Recover your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. You will need the details of the identity document you use to sign into your UKVI account (your passport, national identity card, or biometric residence card or permit) and your date of birth.
You can also contact UKVI by telephone to recover your account. You will need access to a new phone number and email address as UKVI will send security codes to these accounts. If possible, you should also be able to provide the identity document number associated with the account or your unique application number (UAN).
If you are unable to recover your account using these methods, the Home Office advises that if you have a valid physical document that shows you have permission to travel, you should show that to the carrier. If you do not have a valid physical document, you should consider applying for a temporary visa that will allow you to enter the UK once only. You may need to provide biometrics again. You can apply for a temporary visa.
If you have a UKVI account but cannot update your personal details or add a new passport
If you are outside the UK, and you have a UKVI account but have found you cannot update your personal details or add a new passport, the Home Office advise you to consider applying for a temporary visa that will allow you to enter the UK once only. You may need to provide your biometric information.
If your immigration status is displaying incorrectly
If your immigration status is displaying incorrectly, you should report an error with your eVisa.
If you are at a port and travelling imminently
If you are at a port or airport and are travelling to the UK imminently and your carrier is unable to check your immigration status (including using alternative checks such as the view and prove service or an expired BRP), you should ask your carrier to contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub. For help in this situation you can also contact the passenger support helpline using the details below.
Passenger support helpline
The Home Office has set up a passenger support helpline, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is designed to be used by passengers who are travelling imminently and are having problems demonstrating their permission to travel.
The helpline can be contacted on 0800 876 6921 and calls to this number are free of charge. If you cannot contact UK 0800 numbers you can contact 0203 337 0927. You may have to pay to use this number, depending on your telephone network provider. (These numbers are correct at the time of writing. The contact details can also be found at the bottom of the page under the heading ‘Get help’.)
The UKVI contact centre staff operating this service will not be able to provide general visa advice, resolve technical issues or contact carriers.
8. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
In this article we have set out the steps you should take when travelling with an eVisa, and how to resolve common problems that may arise.
For expert advice in relation to UK visa applications or immigration appeals, please contact our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.
