BRP vs eVisa, What's Changing in 2026?

If you hold a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), you've probably heard that "BRPs are ending." What you may not know is exactly what that means for you, when to act and what happens if you do nothing. This article explains the BRP to eVisa transition as it stands in April 2026, the deadlines that still matter and the real-world consequences at airports and landlord checks.

What is an eVisa?

An eVisa is not a document. It's an online record of your UK immigration status linked to your passport. You prove your status by logging into your UKVI account and generating a share code for employers, landlords, banks and airlines.

Replacing BRPs with eVisas has been Home Office policy since 2022, accelerated in 2024 to 25 with the physical-card phase-out. As of 31 December 2024, the Home Office stopped issuing new BRPs to most applicants. Anyone granted leave from January 2025 onwards received an eVisa only.

Who still holds a BRP?

If your BRP was issued before 31 December 2024 and is still valid, you still hold a physical card, but the card expires on 31 December 2024 on its face regardless of your actual leave duration. This is not a bug. The card's expiry date is not your visa's expiry date.

Your underlying immigration leave continues as granted (e.g. 5 years on Skilled Worker, ILR indefinite). Only the physical card's usefulness ends.

What you must do in 2026

Create a UKVI account and link your eVisa. Specifically:

1. Go to gov.uk/evisa and click "Create a UKVI account."
2. Enter the passport you used to apply for your visa.
3. Verify your identity via email and SMS.
4. Scan your BRP (or upload a photo) so the Home Office can match the record.
5. Once linked, your eVisa is live. Test it by generating a share code.

Budget 15 to 30 minutes. Most people finish in one sitting. The Home Office recommends doing this well before any international travel because airlines have started checking eVisa status at boarding.

What happens if you don't create a UKVI account

Nothing immediate, your leave itself doesn't lapse. But practically:

• Airline check-in will fail if the carrier can't verify your status via the electronic border system. Some airlines now refuse boarding with only a BRP.
• Right to Work checks cannot be completed by employers using an expired BRP. They must use the online service, which requires your share code.
• Right to Rent checks follow the same rule.
• NHS registration in new areas may ask for eVisa proof.
• Bank account opening will require a share code.

Many reports in late 2025 and early 2026 show applicants stuck at overseas airports when airlines couldn't verify status. Some were allowed to board after a phone call to the Home Office's carrier liaison; many were denied boarding and had to rebook.

The passport link, the most common mistake

Your eVisa is linked to the passport number you used when applying. If you've renewed your passport since your visa was granted, you must update the passport number in your UKVI account before travel. This is done inside the account under "Update your details."

Forgetting this is the single most common reason for boarding refusals in 2026. New passport = new number = airline's system can't match your eVisa record at check-in.

Share codes, how they work

A share code is a 9-character alphanumeric code generated inside your UKVI account. You give it to a third party along with your date of birth, and they can view your immigration status on gov.uk.

Share code rules:

• Valid for 90 days from generation.
• Employer/landlord/bank-specific, you generate a different code for each check type.
• Does not show your passport number, just your status, conditions and expiry.
• Free to generate; no limit on the number you create.

Treat share codes like one-time passwords. Don't publish them; don't reuse across third parties unnecessarily.

What if your BRP is lost or damaged?

You do not need to replace the physical card. Instead, create your UKVI account using the reference number from your original decision letter, or contact UKVI's BRP team for help linking your record. The Home Office is explicit that replacement BRPs are no longer issued, they will help you move to eVisa instead.

If you never received your decision letter (common for 2015 to 2018 applicants), use your full legal name, date of birth, nationality and visa type; the Home Office support line can verify identity and issue a recovery link.

ILR holders and the "status lost" myth

There's a persistent rumour that Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) holders can "lose" their status if they don't create a UKVI account. This is false. Your ILR doesn't lapse because you haven't registered an eVisa. However:

• You still can't prove ILR without a share code. So practically, you need the account for any status check.
• ILR can be lost by absence, 2+ continuous years outside the UK, or prolonged residency elsewhere. This rule is unchanged by eVisa.
• ILR can be lost by revocation, serious crimes, deception in original application. Also unchanged.

Create the account. ILR is too valuable to leave unverified.

Dual nationals and British passport holders

If you're a British citizen or Commonwealth citizen with Right of Abode, you don't have a UKVI account or eVisa. Your British passport (or Certificate of Entitlement in a foreign passport) is your proof of status. No action needed.

If you're a dual national holding both British and, say, Indian passports, travel on your British passport into the UK. Don't try to use an eVisa attached to your Indian passport, you don't have one, because you don't need one.

Family members and children

Each person's immigration status is individual. If your spouse and children hold dependant leave, each needs their own UKVI account. Parents can create and manage accounts for children under 18, but the account belongs to the child and must be transferred to their control at 18.

What's coming next

The Home Office roadmap through 2026 to 2027:

• End 2026, airline systems fully integrated with UKVI; BRP-only boarding expected to be refused universally.
• 2027, all remaining paper-based and legacy document holders migrated.
• Longer term, expansion to biometric at-border verification, potentially reducing the need for share codes at entry.

For now, the job is straightforward: create your UKVI account, link your current passport, and test a share code before your next flight.

Step-by-step: creating your UKVI account in 2026

The full process takes 15 to 30 minutes and requires your BRP (or decision letter reference), current passport and a mobile number.

If the chip scan fails, don't panic. Try again with the phone flat on a table, BRP underneath. The NFC chip is in the lower half of the card. If scanning fails after 3 attempts, choose photo upload and wait 48 hours.

What to do if something goes wrong

"Account already exists", someone already registered your data. This usually means an agent or employer set up an account on your behalf. Contact UKVI on 0300 123 2241 to merge or reclaim the account.

"Identity could not be verified", most common after a name change (marriage, deed poll). You need to provide both the old name evidence (marriage certificate) and a new passport. Submit via the UKVI Resolution Centre form.

"Your immigration status could not be confirmed", your leave record isn't matching. This can happen if you've recently been granted an extension and the system hasn't updated. Wait 5 working days then try again. If still not working, call UKVI.

Share code "invalid" error, share codes are valid for 90 days and are type-specific (Work, Renting, General). Make sure you're generating the right type. If the code still fails, regenerate from your account.

Frequently asked questions

The employer and landlord experience, what they now see

From the employer or landlord's perspective, the Right to Work / Right to Rent check process has changed significantly since BRPs were phased out. Here is what happens:

Old process (BRP era):

1. Employee shows physical BRP card.
2. Employer manually notes card details, photographs it.
3. Done, no online check needed for non-time-limited leave.

New process (eVisa era):

1. Employee generates a Right to Work share code from their UKVI account.
2. Employee gives the share code + date of birth to employer.
3. Employer enters both at gov.uk/view-right-to-work.
4. System returns: name, nationality, status, any work restrictions, and expiry date of leave.
5. Employer screenshots or saves the response as their record.

The employer must repeat this at regular intervals if leave is time-limited. ILR holders don't need a repeat check.

An employer who accepts an expired BRP card without running the online check is now liable for a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. This means most compliant HR departments now demand share codes, a physical BRP is no longer acceptable.

What eVisa means for your bank account

UK banks are increasingly requiring eVisa share codes for new account openings and some account changes. The process:

• Generate a "General" type share code.
• Provide it to the bank alongside your date of birth.
• The bank's systems connect to UKVI to verify status.

Banks that have updated their systems include: Lloyds, Barclays, Natwest, HSBC, Monzo, Starling, Halifax. Many challenger banks (Revolut, Wise) do their own identity verification that doesn't directly use UKVI, they may still request a share code as supplementary evidence.

If you are opening a current account while your eVisa account is new (first few days), there can be a lag before the system shows your status accurately. Wait 3 to 5 working days after account creation before presenting a share code for a bank check.

Real case studies from 2025 to 2026

Case 1: Boarding denied at Heathrow, September 2025 A Skilled Worker visa holder (5 years, granted 2022) flew to India for a family emergency. On return, the airline's check-in system showed "no digital status" because the passenger's new passport (renewed in 2024) had not been linked in the UKVI account. The old passport number was registered. Boarding was eventually allowed after a 2-hour hold while the carrier's liaison team confirmed status manually. The fix took 10 minutes in the UKVI account but had never been done.

Case 2: Right to Rent check failure, January 2026 An ILR holder wanted to rent a flat. Their BRP had expired (31 Dec 2024 face date). The letting agent rejected the BRP. The applicant didn't have a UKVI account. They had to call UKVI, wait 3 days for a manual account setup link, and nearly lost the property. Create the account now.

Case 3: Name mismatch, March 2026 A person who changed their name on marriage found their UKVI account showed their maiden name. The share code generated a Right to Rent result in a different name than their ID. Employers refused to accept it. Fix: submit a name change request through the UKVI Resolution Centre with marriage certificate. Takes 5 to 10 working days.

eVisa for British National (Overseas) holders

BN(O) visa holders who arrived under the BN(O) Pathway are in the eVisa system from grant, they never had BRPs. They should already have UKVI accounts. The most common issue for BN(O) holders: passport renewal. The Hong Kong SAR passport renewal process can be slow; UK-issued travel documents or UK passports may be used if eligible. Always update the UKVI account passport number before any international travel.

Updating your details, what you can change and what requires UKVI

Inside your UKVI account, you can self-service:

• Passport number update
• Email address update
• Phone number update

You must contact UKVI (and provide documents) for:

• Name changes
• Nationality changes
• Date of birth corrections
• Merging duplicate accounts

The Resolution Centre form at gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details is the correct route for document-supported changes.

Preparing for 2027 and beyond

The Home Office roadmap beyond 2026 points toward full digital border integration. What this means practically:

• E-gates will increasingly use facial recognition linked to passport data and UKVI status rather than physical documents.
• Automatic leave recording, the system already records entry and exit data. This is used for ILR absence calculations and may in future be used for automated compliance monitoring.
• NHS integration, already active: NHS Spine uses UKVI data to verify patient chargeable status, reducing reliance on share codes for healthcare registration.

The migration from BRP to eVisa is functionally complete. The share code system works. The remaining risk is human error, specifically, failing to update your passport in the UKVI account when you renew. Build that step into your passport renewal routine.

Travel checklist before every international trip

Before boarding any international flight when you hold UK immigration leave on an eVisa:

• Open UKVI account, verify login credentials work
• Check your linked passport number matches the passport you're travelling on
• Generate a test share code and view it on gov.uk/view-right-to-work, confirms the record is live
• Check your immigration leave expiry date, ensure it is valid for the return date
• Screenshot your current immigration status from the UKVI app as backup

The whole process takes 5 minutes. Doing it 48 hours before departure gives you time to fix any issues (passport update, contact UKVI) without missing your flight.

What "indefinite" looks like in the eVisa system

ILR holders in the eVisa system will see "no time limit" or "indefinitely" as the leave duration field. This is the correct display. Some ILR holders have incorrectly panicked after seeing a date, this is usually the date the record was last updated, not an expiry. If you are unsure what you're seeing, call UKVI (0300 123 2241) for clarification before assuming your ILR has lapsed.

Support contacts for eVisa issues

• UKVI Contact Centre (general): 0300 123 2241 (Mon, Fri, 8am, 6pm)
• Carrier liaison (airline boarding issues): Airlines contact UKVI directly; passengers cannot call this line. Requesting supervisor intervention at check-in is the correct escalation route.
• Resolution Centre (document changes, name changes): gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details
• Urgent travel issues: Immigration solicitors can sometimes obtain emergency evidence letters for same-day use, budget £200 to £400 for out-of-hours assistance.

Children transitioning to adult status in the eVisa system

When a dependant child on an eVisa account turns 18, they do not automatically acquire independent immigration status. The child's immigration leave continues (tied to the parent's leave), but:

• The child should be added as a named user on the UKVI account by the parent
• At 18, the child must create their own separate UKVI account
• The original account created by the parent transfers control to the child

Failure to transition the account at 18 means the child cannot generate share codes for employer right-to-work checks. This becomes practically important when the child enters the job market at 18.

The digital border, how it works at UK airports

When you arrive at a UK airport and go through e-gates or face border officers, the following happens:

• Your passport is scanned
• The border system queries the Home Office immigration database
• Your eVisa record (linked to your passport number) is retrieved
• Your leave type, conditions, and expiry are displayed to the officer or automatically checked

If your passport number in the UKVI system doesn't match the passport you're travelling on, the border check fails to retrieve your record, triggering manual intervention or denial of entry. This is the same passport-update issue that causes airline boarding problems, now also a concern at the border.

E-gates use biometric facial matching as the primary identity check. Your face is matched against the chip photo in your passport, not against a separate UKVI database photo. The eVisa is checked separately after the identity verification passes.

For most eVisa holders, the border crossing is seamless, seconds at the e-gate or a brief interaction with an officer who sees your status on their screen.