Collecting Your BRP or Activating Your UK eVisa Explained

From BRP cards to the UK eVisa

For years, students arriving in the UK collected a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) — a physical card proving their right to study, live and (where permitted) work. The UK has moved to a digital system: GOV.UK confirms that biometric residence permits have already been replaced by eVisas. An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions attached to it, accessed through a free UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.

If you still hold a physical BRP, it does not change your underlying permission, but your status now lives in your online account. Because rollout details and instructions are updated regularly, always check GOV.UK's eVisa pages for the current steps that apply to you.

• BRPs have been replaced by the digital eVisa
• Your eVisa is viewed through a free UKVI account
• A physical card is no longer the primary proof of status

Setting up your UKVI account and viewing your eVisa

To access your eVisa you create or log in to a UKVI account on GOV.UK. There is no fee to set up a UKVI account or to view your eVisa — be cautious of any third party asking you to pay for this. You will typically link the account to the passport or travel document you used in your application and use an identity-verification step to log in.

Keep your UKVI account details and recovery contact (email and phone number) up to date, especially if you change your phone number after arriving. If you get a new passport, you must update the document on your account so you can continue to travel and prove your status.

• Setting up a UKVI account and viewing your eVisa is free
• Link your current passport or travel document
• Update your email, phone number and passport if they change

Generating and using a share code

When a university, employer, landlord or bank needs to confirm your status, you generate a share code from your UKVI account on GOV.UK. The share code is a time-limited reference that the organisation enters, along with your date of birth, to view the parts of your status relevant to them.

Generate a fresh share code for the specific purpose requested (for example, proving your right to rent or right to work), because codes are issued for a particular use and expire — check GOV.UK for the current validity period. Never share your full account login — only the share code and your date of birth, which is all an organisation needs.

Travelling and keeping your status valid

Once your passport details are in your UKVI account, you can travel using your eVisa. Carriers and border systems check your status digitally, so it is sensible to confirm your account is in order and your passport is linked before you book international travel during your course.

Immigration rules and the eVisa system continue to evolve. This is general information, not immigration advice — always verify the current process on GOV.UK before you act, and contact UKVI through the official channels if your account does not show the correct status.

• Add your passport to your account before travelling
• Confirm your status displays correctly well before any trip
• Use only official GOV.UK channels to fix account problems

The Ireland equivalent: the Irish Residence Permit (IRP)

Ireland uses a different system. Non-EEA students who stay beyond a short period must register their immigration permission and are issued an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card, which evidences the permission to remain. Registration is handled through the Immigration Service Delivery (irishimmigration.ie), and outside Dublin is often arranged via the local registration office or Garda station.

The IRP is a physical card rather than an eVisa, and you generally need to register after you arrive and have your offer and other documents in place. Confirm the current registration process, locations and what to bring on irishimmigration.ie before you travel and again after you arrive.