The UK has moved most immigration status evidence online. All biometric residence permits have now expired and have been replaced by eVisas, which means your status is usually held in a UKVI account rather than shown on a plastic card.

The practical risk is simple. If your UKVI account is wrong, or your current passport is not linked to your eVisa, an airline or other carrier may not be able to confirm your permission to travel. That can mean delay or refused boarding before you even reach the UK border.

For investors and globally mobile families, the change carries an extra wrinkle. If you hold UK residence or settlement and also travel on a second passport, the passport you use for travel should be added to your UKVI account. If the airline checks a document that is not linked to your status, the journey can become harder than it needs to be.

What actually changed

An eVisa is not a physical document. It is a digital record of your immigration permission and conditions, accessed through your UKVI account. You can use the View and Prove service to see your status and generate a share code.

Creating a UKVI account is free and does not change your immigration status. If you have indefinite leave to remain, your ILR does not lapse just because a BRP expired. The issue is proof. Without a working UKVI account, you may struggle to show your status to employers, landlords, carriers, banks or other checkers.

You can read the official position on the GOV.UK eVisa service.

Share codes are the part you will use most often. A share code lasts for 90 days, can be used more than once before it expires, and you can generate a new one whenever needed. The checker will also need your date of birth. In practice, make sure you use the right service for the right purpose, such as right to work, right to rent, immigration status or travel.

The situations that catch people out

Situation	What to do
You renew or replace your passport	Update the passport details in your UKVI account before you travel
You hold more than one passport	Add the passport you will use for travel to your UKVI account
You have ILR and never made an account	Your status does not lapse, but you need an account to prove it online
You still have an expired BRP	You may be able to use it to create or sign in to your UKVI account, but not as your main proof of status
A child on dependant leave turns 18	Update the account with the child’s own email address and phone number

An expired BRP may still help you access or create a UKVI account for up to 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. It can also be used in some extension applications. It should not be treated as a travel document or a substitute for checking that your eVisa is correct.

That last point matters for families who plan ahead for their children, including those weighing second citizenship for children or arranging UK boarding school admissions. Each person’s status is individual, and each person needs their own access to the right digital record.

What it means if you hold UK status through investment

If your UK residence came through a business or investment route, the digital shift does not change your underlying permission. It does change how you evidence it at borders, in right to work checks and during property, banking or due diligence processes.

Investors who came in under earlier routes, or who are watching the new UK investor visa for strategic growth sectors, should make sure their digital record is clean before travel. The wider changes following Brexit on the UK investor route make tidy paperwork more valuable, not less. If something looks wrong, a residency by investment lawyer in London can help you address a digital error before it becomes a live problem.

Keeping a backup plan

Some clients use the eVisa transition as a prompt to review wider mobility. It is sensible to understand the difference between residency and citizenship by investment and to keep a second route open.

Caribbean options such as St Lucia’s second passport programme and Antigua and Barbuda second citizenship can add flexibility. Malta citizenship by investment offers an EU route for those who qualify. On the residence side, Hungary’s guest investor programme and the Greece financially independent person route are common comparisons. You can see the full set of global residency and citizenship options in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my ILR if I do not create an eVisa account?
No. Your settled status does not lapse, but without an account you may struggle to prove it online.

How do I prove my status now?
Sign in to your UKVI account, generate a share code through View and Prove, and give it with your date of birth to the checker.

What happens if I renew my passport?
Update your passport details in your UKVI account before you travel. Your carrier may not let you travel if your details do not match.

Is creating the account free?
Yes. Creating a UKVI account is free and does not change your immigration status or conditions.

Get your digital status in order

The system rewards preparation and punishes loose ends, so it is worth a short check now. If you hold UK status through investment, or you travel on more than one passport, speak to the Coates Global team about getting your record straight and keeping your options open. Book a consultation today.