The UK's shift from physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) to digital eVisas is reaching its final stages in 2026. Travellers who haven't migrated have been stranded at airports across the world over the past 12 months, with airlines refusing boarding because they can't verify status without an share code. This guide explains exactly what you must do before the next major deadline, why thousands are still failing to complete migration, and the specific actions that prevent travel disasters.

What's actually happening in 2026

The Home Office stopped issuing physical BRPs to most applicants on 31 December 2024. Anyone granted leave from January 2025 onwards received an eVisa only — no physical card.

BRPs already in circulation have a printed expiry date of 31 December 2024 on most cards, regardless of when your underlying visa actually expires. This is intentional: the card's legal status as a stand-alone identity document ended on that date, but your immigration leave continues as originally granted.

Throughout 2025 and into 2026, airlines progressively integrated with the Home Office's electronic verification system. By mid-2026, most major airlines refuse to board passengers who cannot produce a current eVisa share code at check-in or boarding gate, even if their underlying leave is valid.

Who still needs to act

You need to create or update your UKVI account immediately if any of the following applies:

  1. You hold a current physical and have never logged into the gov.uk UKVI account portal
  2. You created a UKVI account but never tested generating a share code
  3. You renewed your passport at any point since your visa was granted, and haven't updated your UKVI account with the new passport number
  4. You hold () granted before 2020 and have a paper "no time limit" stamp in an old passport, not a BRP
  5. You hold EUSS (EU Settlement Scheme) status but have never tested your share code recently

The single biggest cause of boarding refusals in 2026 is passport renewal without UKVI account update. The airline's system looks up your status against your current passport number. If the number doesn't match what's in your UKVI account, no match returns and the airline refuses to board.

The 30-minute migration checklist

If you haven't done this yet, set aside 30 minutes and complete all steps:

Step 1 — Create or access your UKVI account

  • Go to gov.uk/evisa
  • Click "Create a UKVI account" or "Sign in"
  • Use the passport you used for your original UK visa application
  • Verify your email and phone number

Step 2 — Link your eVisa

  • Inside the account, navigate to "View and prove your immigration status"
  • Confirm your immigration details match Home Office records
  • If they don't match, contact UKVI Resolution Centre via the linked form

Step 3 — Update passport details

  • If your current passport is different from the one you applied for your visa with, click "Update details"
  • Enter the new passport number
  • Submit a clear photo of your current passport bio page

This is the step most people skip and the one that causes airport refusals. Do this for every passport renewal, not just at deadlines.

Step 4 — Generate and test a share code

  • Click "Prove your right to work / rent / status"
  • Generate a share code (valid 90 days; you can generate as many as you want)
  • Open the code in a private browser window and verify your status displays correctly with date of birth check

If the code works, your eVisa is fully operational.

Step 5 — Save key information

Record (somewhere secure, not on your phone's lock screen):

  • Your UKVI account email and password
  • A note of your immigration status type and expiry date
  • The phone number used for verification

The 2026 deadline timeline

DateWhat changes
31 Dec 2024Physical BRPs no longer issued; existing cards lose stand-alone validity
Throughout 2025Airlines progressively integrate eVisa verification
Mid-2026Most major airlines refuse boarding without eVisa share code
End 2026Some carriers may still accept BRP with manual phone verification, but reliability drops
2027All remaining paper-based and legacy document holders expected to be fully migrated

Note: your underlying immigration leave does not expire because of this transition. ILR is permanent. Visa expiry dates are unchanged. Only the practical ability to prove your status at airports and to UK officials is affected.

What happens at airports right now

The current reality at major international airports (as of May 2026):

  • London Heathrow, Gatwick: full eVisa integration. Boarding refused without share code at originating airport.
  • EU airports (Schengen → UK flights): most major carriers integrated. Refusals common.
  • Indian airports: hit-and-miss — some carriers still accept BRP with phone verification.
  • US airports: mostly integrated. Refusals common since late 2025.
  • Middle Eastern hubs (Dubai, Doha): variable by carrier.

If you're refused boarding:

  1. Call the Home Office Carrier Liaison Centre (number on gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk)
  2. They can sometimes verify status by phone in real time, but airlines aren't obligated to accept this
  3. If not resolved, you'll need to rebook flights — often at significant cost

This is why migrating before any planned travel is critical.

Specific situations and what to do

"I lost or damaged my BRP"

Don't apply for a replacement BRP — they're no longer issued. Instead, create your UKVI account using your decision letter reference or contact the BRP team for identity recovery.

"I never received my decision letter"

For older grants (pre-2018) you may not have a letter. Use the support form at gov.uk/evisa with your full name, date of birth, nationality and visa type. The Home Office can verify and issue a recovery link.

"I have ILR from before 2010 — paper-only in an old passport"

You urgently need to create a UKVI account. The Home Office's "no time limit" stamp in an expired passport is increasingly unrecognised at borders. Use the "I have ILR but no current document" path on gov.uk/evisa.

"I'm on EUSS pre-settled or settled status"

You already have a digital status — you only need to verify the UKVI account works and your current passport is linked.

"I have dual nationality and travel on a different passport"

Each immigration status is linked to a specific passport. If you travel on a passport not linked to your UKVI account, the airline won't find your status. Update or add the passport you actually travel on.

"I have multiple visa records (e.g. Student visa then Skilled Worker)"

Your UKVI account should show only your current status. Old expired statuses don't affect anything. Make sure the current one is linked to your current passport.

The myths that cause problems

  1. "My BRP doesn't expire until 2027, so I'm fine." False. The BRP physical card became unusable as standalone evidence after 31 Dec 2024.
  2. "ILR is permanent, so I don't need an eVisa." Your ILR is permanent, but proving it without a working eVisa is increasingly impossible.
  3. "The airline will figure it out at check-in." Airlines lose £2,000–10,000 per "carrier liability" for transporting someone without valid status. They won't risk it.
  4. "I'll do it when I next travel." Travel days are the worst time to discover your account doesn't work or your passport isn't linked. Do it now.

Family members and children

Each person has their own UKVI account and eVisa. Parents must create accounts for children under 18, but the account belongs to the child and transfers to their control at 18.

If your spouse or children are dependants on your visa, they each need:

  • Their own UKVI account
  • Their current passport linked
  • Their own ability to generate share codes

Frequent issue: parents create their own account but forget about children's accounts. Children get stuck at airports while parents pass through.

What to do before any international travel

Pre-flight checklist (do this 1 week before any UK-bound trip):

  • Log into UKVI account at gov.uk/evisa
  • Confirm current passport number matches the one you'll travel on
  • Generate a share code, test it works
  • Save the share code somewhere accessible (email it to yourself)
  • Confirm your underlying immigration status is still valid for the travel dates
  • For children: repeat the entire process for each child

If anything fails, contact UKVI Resolution Centre before booking flights, not on the day.

What's coming next

The Home Office roadmap through 2026–2027:

  • Late 2026: integration with EU/Schengen entry system for border-side verification
  • 2027: phase-out of phone-based airline verification; eVisa share code becomes mandatory
  • Long-term: integration with biometric facial recognition at UK borders

For now, the action is simple but urgent: create the account, link the current passport, test the share code, save the details. The 30 minutes you spend now prevents a stranded-at-airport disaster later.

See our companion article on BRP vs eVisa changes for the underlying policy, or Visit visa documents if you're helping family members travel to the UK.