Most UK immigration status is now held digitally rather than as a physical document. To view, prove or share that status, you need a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account linked to your eVisa. If you’re not sure whether you already have one, what you need to create one, or how this works for a partner or child, this article sets out the process in full, based on current GOV.UK guidance.
What Is a UKVI Account and What Does It Give You Access To
A UKVI account is the online account through which you access your eVisa, your digital immigration status. You’ll need one if you hold any UK visa or settlement in the UK (indefinite leave to remain). The same account structure also gives access to a digital record of exemption, for those exempt from immigration control such as diplomats, and a digital certificate of entitlement, for those with right of abode in the UK.
If your partner or children are joining you in the UK as dependants, each of them needs their own UKVI account. One account cannot hold status for more than one person, so a family with dependants will need a separate account for each family member.
Do I Need a UKVI Account If I Have an Older Immigration Document
Not necessarily, and this depends on what you currently hold. You can choose whether to move to an eVisa if you hold a physical immigration document with no expiry date proving settlement, in which case you’ll need to make a no time limit application first, or if you hold a valid visa vignette (sticker) in your passport.
You do not need an eVisa at all if you’re visiting the UK under an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), or if you have permission to stay in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar. These categories sit outside the eVisa system entirely.
How Do I Know If I Already Have a UKVI Account
Before creating an account, check whether you already have one, since duplicate accounts should be avoided. You’ll already have an account if you have ever used the UK Immigration: ID Check app to confirm your identity during a visa application, created an account when applying for a visa (you would have received a confirmation email), replaced a physical document such as a biometric residence permit (BRP) or biometric residence card (BRC) with an eVisa, or applied to the EU Settlement Scheme.
If any of these apply, you should not create a new account. If you’re unsure, the most reliable way to check is to attempt to sign in and view your eVisa using your existing details.
What Do I Need to Create a UKVI Account
To create an account, you’ll need a phone number and email address you can access each time you sign in, since these are used for ongoing verification, not just registration.
You’ll also be asked for one of the following, if you have it:
- A valid passport together with your visa application number, either a Global Web Form (GWF) number or a Unique Application Number (UAN)
- A valid passport together with your BRP number
- An expired BRP, which you may be able to use for up to 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first
After creating your account, you will need to confirm your identity and link the account to your eVisa. This usually involves the UK Immigration: ID Check app on a smartphone. If you do not have a valid passport or expired BRP, or cannot use the app, GOV.UK explains how to confirm your identity another way.
How Do I Create a UKVI Account?
Start on the official GOV.UK account setup page. Have the phone number and email address you want to use, along with any passport, BRP or visa application details available to you.
Follow the online instructions to enter your details, confirm your identity and link your account to your eVisa. Depending on your documents, you may be asked to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app. If you do not link your eVisa during account creation, GOV.UK provides a separate link to complete that step.
Once your account is linked, sign in to view your eVisa and generate a share code when you need to prove your status.
Creating a UKVI Account for a Partner or Child
Because a UKVI account holds one person’s status only, each dependant joining you in the UK needs their own account, created separately using their own details where they are able to manage it themselves.
Where someone cannot manage their own account, for example a child, or where you hold power of attorney for someone else, you can create and manage the account on their behalf. In this situation, you should use your own phone number and email address when setting up the account, since these will be needed to sign in and manage it going forward.
What Happens When the Person You're Helping Can Manage Their Own Account
If the person you’ve been managing an account for becomes able to manage it themselves, or a child you manage an account for turns 18, the account details should be updated at that point. This means switching the registered phone number and email address to the individual’s own details, so they can sign in independently going forward. This step is easy to overlook once an account has been set up and working, but leaving it unaddressed can cause access problems later.
When to Seek Professional Immigration Advice on Your UKVI Account
Many straightforward UKVI account issues can be resolved through the Home Office’s online support services. Professional immigration advice may be helpful where your eVisa does not correctly reflect the permission you have been granted, there are discrepancies in your personal or immigration records, or an account problem is preventing you from accessing or proving your status. Advice may also be appropriate where family members have different immigration documents or statuses and you are unsure how their individual accounts should be set up or managed.
How Immigration Connection Can Assist
Immigration Connection has advised individuals and families on UK immigration since 2011. Our immigration advice team is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. We offer advice and strategy sessions to help you understand your options and develop a tailored roadmap for your UK immigration or global residence plans.
Our services include:
- One-to-one advice sessions and tailored UK immigration or global residence strategy sessions
- Full application support for routes including the Skilled Worker Visa, Global Business Mobility routes, Spouse Visa, Graduate Visa, Innovator Founder Visa and Global Talent Visa
- Support with settlement, British citizenship and selected global residence applications
- A review of an application you have prepared before submission
- Advice following a refusal and representation in an administrative review, where available
If you would like to discuss your options or need support with an application, please contact our team to arrange an advice or strategy session.
Immigration Connection, your trusted advisers in UK immigration and global residency pathways.
📧 info@immigrationconnection.co.uk
📞 +44 7948 721767
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I lose access to the phone number or email address on my UKVI account?
You should update your account details as soon as possible, since these are used each time you sign in. If you can no longer access either, you may need to go through an account recovery process, and professional advice can help where this becomes complicated.
Is there a fee to create a UKVI account?
No. There is no fee to create a UKVI account or access your eVisa.
How do I use my eVisa to prove my immigration status?
Once you can access your eVisa through your UKVI account, you can use the online View and Prove service to generate a share code. An employer, landlord or other relevant organisation can use the code to check your status without access to your UKVI account.
What if my expired BRP is outside the permitted period?
There is no fixed deadline calculated from birth. For a child born during Graduate permission, the application must be made while the Graduate parent still holds existing permission. Travel and NHS charging considerations often make an earlier application sensible.
Can I leave the UK with my child before applying for their Graduate Visa dependant status?
You may be able to use an expired BRP to create your UKVI account for up to 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. If you cannot use your expired BRP, another way of confirming your identity may be available.
What if I accidentally created two UKVI accounts?
No. Your existing UKVI account remains linked to your immigration status as it updates, so a new account is not required for an extension or a change of category, provided your account is already correctly set up.
Can I access my eVisa without a smartphone?
Yes, an alternative identity verification method is available if you cannot access a smartphone or use the identity verification app, though this may take longer than the standard app-based process.
Do I need professional advice to apply for a Graduate Visa dependant child born in the UK?
Having more than one account can cause confusion when proving your status. If you believe you have created a duplicate account, this should be resolved promptly, and professional advice can help identify the correct account to use going forward.
