eVisa and UKVI Account Problems: How to Fix Them

An eVisa works well until it does not, and it tends to fail at the worst moment: at an airline check-in desk, or on the morning a new employer asks for your share code. Most problems fall into a few types, and each one has a specific official fix. The hard part is knowing which route to use, because the Home Office runs separate services for recovering an account, updating your details and reporting an error.

Start with the table, then read the section you need. Employers will find right to work checks near the end of this guide.

Your problem	The right route
You cannot sign in, or you lost your phone or email	Recover your UKVI account
Something has changed, such as your passport, name, phone or email	Update your UKVI account
Your eVisa details are wrong, you cannot get a share code, or your eVisa is still missing after 24 hours	Report an error with your eVisa
Anything else	UKVI webchat or the UKVI contact centre

You do not need to pay to set up a UKVI account or access your eVisa. Be wary of anyone charging for that alone.

If you still rely on an expired BRP, act before 31 December 2026

All biometric residence permits have now expired. GOV.UK says you might be able to use an expired BRP for 24 months after the date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first, and only for limited purposes such as signing in or creating a UKVI account. A separate GOV.UK page on getting a right to work share code still says 18 months, so do not assume you have the full 24.

If an expired BRP is how you get into your account, sign in now and add your current passport, using the steps further down this guide. We could not find GOV.UK guidance on what happens to someone who has not done so by the end of the year, so it is better not to find out.

Can’t log in to your UKVI account

Check whether you already have an account. You already have one if you used the UK Immigration: ID Check app, created one during a visa application, replaced a BRP or BRC with an eVisa, or applied to the EU Settlement Scheme. GOV.UK says not to create a second account. If you are unsure, try signing in.

Check you are using the right details. To view your eVisa you need the details you sign in with, which could be a passport, national identity card, biometric residence card, expired BRP or UKVI customer number. You also need access to the phone number or email address you use to sign in. If you have renewed your passport since you last signed in, try the details already on the account.

If you have lost your phone or changed your email, use the account recovery service. This is the route GOV.UK gives for people who cannot sign in for those reasons.

If you see a technical error when logging in, or the Home Office set up your account and you have never been able to access it, report an error instead.

Your eVisa is not showing in your account

First check that you finished setup. Creating an account is not enough: you must also confirm your identity and link your account to your eVisa, and you cannot see the eVisa until both are done. If you skipped that step, you can link the account afterwards.

The link usually works straight away but can take up to 24 hours. If you still cannot see your eVisa after 24 hours, report an error.

Confirming your identity normally needs a smartphone and the ID Check app. GOV.UK says there is another way if you do not have a smartphone, cannot use the app, or have neither a valid passport nor an expired BRP.

If you have indefinite leave to remain shown only by an old stamp or sticker, your route is different. You can make a free no time limit application, which can take up to 6 months. You can keep using your physical document while you wait.

Your eVisa details are wrong

The fix depends on whether the Home Office made a mistake or your details changed. Using the wrong route can waste days.

Report an error if the record is wrong. Examples include a wrong name, date of birth or immigration status. You will need an email or UK postal address, your name, date of birth and nationality as they appear on the eVisa, and one reference such as a passport number or application number. Someone else can report it for you, including a legal representative, an employer or a university. UKVI aims to fix most issues within 5 working days, and complex cases can take up to 15. You will get an email if it will take longer.

Update your account if your details changed. That covers a new name, a new passport or a corrected date of birth. Changes to your name, date of birth or nationality need an identity document that proves the change. If you do not have one, GOV.UK points to a separate service.

Know what neither route can do. The update service cannot change immigration details such as your visa. If the length or conditions of a visa you applied for from inside the UK are wrong, GOV.UK says you can ask for an administrative review. If your eVisa shows a different status from your pre-settled status, there is a separate process.

Share code problems

When a share code fails, it is usually for one of four reasons.

The code is for the wrong purpose. A right to work code is 9 characters long and starts with W. Employers cannot accept codes starting with R or S, which are for other services. If yours starts with the wrong letter, sign in again and choose "Prove your right to work to an employer".

The code has expired. A share code lasts 90 days. You can use it as many times as you like before then, and you can get a new one whenever you need it.

The date of birth does not match. The person checking needs your date of birth as well as the code. If the date on your record is wrong, fix that first.

You can see your eVisa but cannot get a code. GOV.UK treats this as an error, so report it. If you changed your name or nationality, or your photo no longer looks like you, update your account before generating a code.

If you need to start a job urgently and cannot produce a code, tell the employer. They may be able to use the Employer Checking Service, covered below.

Airline and travel checks

You must check your UKVI account and eVisa before you travel to or from the UK. Your carrier may refuse to let you board if your details are wrong, and you may be delayed at the border. This matters because carriers check your status against the information you give them, so a mismatch can stop the automatic check from working.

Before you go, make sure that:

your account shows your correct personal details and the passport you will travel with;
your eVisa shows the right status;
those details match the passenger information you give the airline exactly.

Get a share code before you travel. A carrier or border official may ask for more proof. A share code for travel lasts 90 days, so generating one in advance means you are not relying on airport wifi. Show it with your valid passport. You can also use a valid physical immigration document if you have one.

If the airline still cannot check, ask them to contact the UK Border Force carrier support hub. GOV.UK gives this as the route when a carrier cannot check your eVisa.

If you hold more than one nationality, add the passport you will use. You can have more than one on your account. If one of your nationalities is British or Irish, you do not need an eVisa, but you must travel with the right passport or a certificate of entitlement.

If something changes while you are abroad, what you can do depends on your passport. With a biometric passport you can update your passport details, name and nationality yourself. With a non-biometric passport you can only update the passport number and expiry date. For anything else, you must ask UKVI to update your account, and you may need to give biometrics at a visa application centre, so leave time for it.

How to link a new passport to your eVisa

A new passport does not update your eVisa automatically. You need to add it yourself.

Go to update your UKVI account.
Sign in with the details you normally use, and make sure you can access the phone number or email on the account.
Enter the new passport details. If the name or nationality has changed too, have the identity document that proves it ready.
View your eVisa and check the new passport appears before you book or travel.

There is one important limit. You cannot change your name or passport while you are waiting for a decision on a visa application. If that affects your travel plans, contact UKVI rather than assuming it will sort itself out.

Who to contact at UKVI

Route	Best for	Details
Webchat	eVisa, UKVI account and share code questions	Online
UKVI contact centre	Help with your account or share codes	+44 (0)300 790 6268, option 3, or +44 (0)203 875 4669 if you cannot dial 0300 numbers. Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, weekends 9:30am to 4:30pm, closed on bank holidays. Call charges apply
Employer Enquiry helpline	Employers doing right to work checks	0300 790 6268, Monday to Thursday 9am to 4:45pm, Friday 9am to 4:30pm

The contact centre cannot advise on your personal circumstances, tell you whether an application will succeed or say when a decision will come. If your problem involves a deadline, a refusal or your legal status, take regulated advice from a registered immigration adviser.

Employers: right to work checks with a share code

If someone has an eVisa, the employer’s guide of 1 October 2026 says you must use the Home Office online service to get a statutory excuse. Simply viewing what the applicant sees on their own account, or a printed copy of it, is not enough, and a manual check of an expired BRP is not acceptable.

How to do the check

Get the share code and date of birth. The code must start with W.
Run the check. Use Check a job applicant’s right to work, and record your business name correctly and in full.
Match the photo to the person. You can do this in person, by video call, or digitally using facial recognition through a registered digital verification service provider.
Check the conditions. Only employ the person if the result confirms they can do the work you are offering, within any restrictions.
Keep the evidence. Store a PDF or HTML copy of the profile page for the length of the employment and two years afterwards.
Diarise any follow-up. For time-limited permission, repeat the check on or before the date it ends.

British and Irish citizens cannot get a share code. Check their documents or use a registered provider. Treat every applicant the same way, because the guide says it is unlawful to discriminate when carrying out checks. Our Right to Work Checker can help you work out which check applies.

When the online check does not work

If a technical problem produces a wrong code or result, or someone temporarily cannot generate a code, you can ask the Employer Checking Service to verify their status. You also use it where someone has an outstanding application and cannot give you a code. A Positive Verification Notice lets you employ the person for 6 months from the date on the notice.

If a worker’s name differs from their eVisa or the photo is poor, the guide says to tell them to update their account. Give workers a reasonable chance to prove their status. For an existing worker with an in-time application, the online check gives a six-month statutory excuse, and where your excuse is expiring you may have up to 28 days to get verification.

What is at stake

The guide lists a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker, and in serious cases up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine. A penalty can also affect your ability to sponsor workers. If you hold a sponsor licence, our compliance guide covers the wider record-keeping duties.

The scope has also grown. For work starting on or after 1 October 2026, the scheme can apply to people on worker’s contracts, individual sub-contractors and online matching services, not just employees. The guide says these measures are not intended to be retrospective, but businesses that use contractors or gig workers should read it closely.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a share code last?

90 days. You can use it as many times as you need in that period, and you can generate a new code at any time.

How long does UKVI take to fix an eVisa error?

UKVI aims to fix most issues within 5 working days. Complex cases can take up to 15 working days, and you will get an email if it will take longer.

Do I need to update my eVisa when I renew my passport?

Yes. Add the new passport through the update service. You must travel with a valid passport that has been added to your UKVI account, and your carrier may not let you travel if your details are wrong.

Can I travel while waiting for a passport update?

Check your account shows the passport you are travelling with. You cannot change your passport details while waiting for a visa decision, so if that applies to you, contact UKVI before you travel.

Can an employer refuse a physical document and ask for a share code?

It depends on the person. Where someone has an eVisa, the employer must use the online service. Someone without an eVisa may be able to prove their right to work with eligible documents, and GOV.UK says an employer cannot reject them for offering an eligible document rather than a share code.

Is an eVisa the same as an ETA?

No. An eVisa is a record of your immigration status. An electronic travel authorisation lets people who do not need a visa travel to the UK for short visits.

The bottom line

Most eVisa problems come down to choosing the right route: recover the account if you cannot get in, update it if your details changed, and report an error if the Home Office record is wrong. Check everything before you travel or start a new job, and do not leave it until the day. If you rely on an expired BRP, sort out your account before 31 December 2026.

For employers, the check is short but has to be done properly: use a W code, match the photo, keep the record and diarise the follow-up.

This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice, and reflects GOV.UK guidance on 1 November 2026. Online services and contact details can change, so check the current eVisa guidance and, for employers, the current right to work guidance. If your case involves a deadline or a refusal, take advice from a regulated immigration adviser.

Sources