International students: important information about e-visas

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital immigration system which means that all physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) are being replaced with an online record of your immigration status known as an e-visa or electronic visa.

All BRPs will expire on 31 December 2024 but your Student Route visa permission will expire on the date in your visa decision letter.

How do I get an e-visa?

If you currently hold a BRP, you’ll need to create a UKVI account and register for your e-visa if you have not done so already. You can find useful information and helpful videos on how to do this on our website here.

How do I prove my immigration status?

Once you have created your UKVI account and registered for your e-visa, you can create a share code to prove your immigration status. UKVI have created a video on how to prove your immigration status which you can find here.

Do I need my e-visa to travel?

You will not need to generate a share code each time you plan to travel. You must keep your BRP with you when travelling in and out of the UK along with your passport. Even if it has expired in December 2024, your BRP will still be accepted for travel in and out of the UK up until 31 March 2025. From 1 January 2025, you will need to have registered for your e-visa and you will just need your passport to travel. You can find more information about this here

UKVI have created a video on travelling with your e-visa which can be found here.

Do I need to show my e-visa to the University?

The University does need evidence of the expiry of each student’s permission to enter the UK on their Student Visa. However, most students will have their e-visa information shared with the University automatically. This means that you will not need to send us evidence of your e-visa unless we ask for it. If we do need this from you we will contact you individually to explain what you need to do.

What if I need help?

If you have any other questions or have any issues with the above processes, please get in touch with the International Advice and Guidance team who can help you with this.