You can usually prove your UK immigration status online by signing in to your UKVI account, viewing your eVisa and generating a share code for the correct purpose. You then give that share code, along with your date of birth, to the employer, landlord, university or organisation that needs to check your status.
This digital process is now central to many everyday immigration checks in the UK. It may be used to prove your right to work, show your right to rent in England, confirm your immigration permission to an organisation, or check that your eVisa accurately reflects the permission you have been granted.
The important point is that your eVisa, UKVI account and share code are not the same thing. Your eVisa is your digital immigration record, your UKVI account is how you access it, and the share code is what allows someone else to check relevant information securely.
If you are unsure whether your status is correctly recorded, or you are dealing with a visa, settlement or document issue, Immigration UK can help you understand your position and identify practical next steps.
What Are an eVisa, a UKVI Account and a Share Code?
An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and UK immigration status. It can show information such as the type of permission you hold, whether your permission is time limited, and whether you have conditions attached to your stay, such as work or study restrictions.
A UKVI account is the online account you use to access that eVisa. You may already have one if you applied using the UK Immigration: ID Check app, made a visa application online, applied under the EU Settlement Scheme, or replaced a physical immigration document with an eVisa.
A share code is a temporary code that lets another person or organisation view the information they are allowed to see. According to official GOV.UK guidance on accessing and using your eVisa, a share code is valid for 90 days and can usually be used more than once before it expires.
Who Can Prove UK Immigration Status Online?
Many people with UK immigration permission can prove their status online. This includes people with a UK visa, people with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and people with settlement or indefinite leave to remain where their status is available digitally.
If you have indefinite leave to remain or are applying to move from temporary permission to settlement, it is important to understand how your status is evidenced and what records are linked to your UKVI account. You may also want to review wider information about a UK settlement application if you are approaching the stage where your immigration permission may become permanent.
Dependants should not assume they can rely on the main applicant's account. A partner or child generally needs access to their own UKVI account and eVisa to prove their own status. This is especially important for employment, education, travel and right-to-rent checks.
How to Access Your eVisa
To access your eVisa, you first need to know whether you already have a UKVI account. Creating a duplicate account can make matters more confusing, so it is usually better to try to recover or access an existing account before setting up a new one.
When signing in, you may need details linked to your account, such as a passport, national identity card, biometric residence permit number, biometric residence card number, visa application reference, or UKVI customer number. You will also need access to the email address or phone number used for account security checks.
Once you are signed in, check your eVisa carefully. Do not just glance at the page and close it. Look at your name, date of birth, nationality, photograph, immigration route, expiry date where relevant, and any conditions on work, study or access to services.
A practical check should include:
- Your full name and date of birth.
- Your nationality and photograph.
- The immigration status or route shown.
- The expiry date or time limit, if your permission is not indefinite.
- Work, study or other conditions attached to your permission.
- The passport or travel document linked to the account.
If you have recently linked your eVisa to your account, access may not appear instantly in every case. GOV.UK guidance indicates that access is usually immediate after linking, but it may take up to 24 hours.
How to Generate the Correct Share Code
When you generate a share code, you must choose the correct reason for sharing your status. This matters because a right-to-work check, a right-to-rent check and a general immigration status check are not necessarily the same thing.
For a job, choose the right-to-work option. For residential renting in England, choose the right-to-rent option. For a university, public authority or other organisation, you may need a general immigration status share code, depending on what they have asked for.
The basic process is usually:
- Sign in to your UKVI account.
- View your eVisa and check the details are correct.
- Select the correct reason for sharing your status.
- Generate the share code.
- Give the share code and your date of birth to the person checking your status.
- Ask them to use the correct official GOV.UK checking service.
You can copy the code, write it down or send it privately to the relevant person. Avoid posting it online or sending it to people who do not need it. It is not quite the keys to your house, but it is still personal immigration information, so treat it carefully.
Proving Your Right to Work
If you need to prove your right to work, you normally generate a right-to-work share code and give it to your employer with your date of birth. Your employer then uses the appropriate official checking service to confirm whether you can work and whether any restrictions apply.
The employer may be able to see the types of work you are permitted to do and how long your permission allows you to work in the UK. This is particularly important for people with time-limited visas, sponsored employment or work-related conditions.
If your digital record does not match the conditions you expected, do not ignore it. For example, if you hold permission connected to employment and the eVisa does not appear to reflect that correctly, you may need to investigate the issue before relying on the record for a new job. Immigration UK provides information on UK work visa routes where the underlying immigration category or work conditions need to be understood.
Proving Your Right to Rent in England
Right to Rent checks apply to residential renting in England. They should not be described as a single UK-wide landlord checking system, because Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not operate the same statutory Right to Rent Scheme.
If you are renting in England and need to prove your right to rent, you generate a right-to-rent share code. You then provide that code and your date of birth to the landlord, letting agent or other person carrying out the check. They use the official checking service to confirm whether you can rent and whether a follow-up check may be needed later.
Make sure you select the right-to-rent purpose when creating the code. A code generated for another purpose may not give the landlord the information they need, even if your immigration status itself is perfectly valid.
General Immigration Status Checks
Sometimes you may need to prove your status for a reason that is not employment or renting. A university, government body, local authority, bank or another organisation may ask for evidence that you have permission to live in the UK or access a particular service.
In that situation, a general immigration status share code may be appropriate. The checker will normally need your share code and date of birth. The information shown will depend on the purpose of the check and the official service being used.
If you are dealing with a specific visa category, extension or dependant issue, it can help to read around the wider status position rather than focusing only on the code itself. For example, if your issue is about connecting your online record to your account, this related guide on how to link a UK eVisa to your UKVI account may be useful background reading.
What If You Have a BRP or BRC?
Many people still think of their biometric residence permit or biometric residence card as the main proof of their UK status. In practice, UK immigration status is increasingly accessed digitally through an eVisa and UKVI account.
That does not mean every physical document is irrelevant in every situation. Some official services may still refer to document details, and in certain circumstances an expired BRP may help you access or recover your UKVI account. However, an expired BRP should not be treated as current proof of immigration status for employers, landlords or organisations. For current checks, online status evidence through the eVisa and share code system is normally required.
If an employer, landlord or organisation asks for proof, follow the specific route for that purpose rather than assuming that a card, screenshot or old document will be accepted. Screenshots are rarely the best solution because they can become outdated quickly and may not provide the checker with the official confirmation they need.
What If Your UKVI Account or Share Code Does Not Work?
If you cannot access your UKVI account, start with the simple checks. Are you using the correct email address, phone number and identity document? Has your passport changed since the account was created? Have you completed the identity confirmation and eVisa-linking steps?
If the eVisa is visible but you cannot generate a share code, the issue may be different from a forgotten password or lost phone number. It could be a technical problem or an error in the way your eVisa is recorded.
If your eVisa shows the wrong name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status or conditions, you should report the error through the official route. UKVI provides estimated response times through the official reporting process, so check the current guidance when reporting the problem. These are estimates, not guarantees, so allow time where possible.
If an employer or landlord says the code does not work, check whether:
- The share code has expired.
- The correct type of code was generated.
- Your date of birth was entered correctly.
- The checker is using the correct official service.
- Your eVisa details are accurate.
- A new share code is needed.
If the issue affects employment, renting, travel or access to important services, keep records of the problem and any UKVI correspondence. It may also be sensible to obtain professional advice if the error appears connected to the underlying immigration decision.
Travel and Online Immigration Status
Before travelling, check that your eVisa is visible and that your passport or travel document details are up to date in your UKVI account. This is particularly important if you have renewed your passport or changed personal details.
An eVisa may be relevant when travelling, but proving status to an airline, border officer, employer or landlord are not all the same process. You should still check current travel requirements, carry your valid passport, and follow any instructions linked to your immigration permission.
If something looks wrong shortly before travel, do not leave it until you are standing at the airport trying to solve it over weak Wi-Fi and a coffee. Report the issue promptly and keep evidence of your grant of permission where available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a UK immigration share code last?
A UK immigration share code normally lasts for 90 days. It can usually be used more than once before it expires, but you should generate a fresh code if the old one has expired or was created for the wrong purpose.
Do I need to show my eVisa to my employer?
In most digital right-to-work checks, you give your employer a right-to-work share code and your date of birth. The employer then checks your status through the official online service.
Is a right-to-work share code the same as a right-to-rent share code?
No. You should generate the share code for the correct purpose because employers and landlords use different checking services and may see different information.
Can my spouse or child use my UKVI account?
Each person generally needs access to their own UKVI account and eVisa to prove their own status. A main applicant's account does not normally prove a dependant's immigration permission.
What should I do if my eVisa details are wrong?
You should report the error using the official UKVI process and keep evidence of your grant of permission. Do not assume you need to make a new visa application simply because the digital record contains an error.
