eVisa: documents for work and travel
Already working on a farm? Choose how to show your status, get a share code, regain access to UKVI or update your passport.
- Open your eVisa and check your name, photo, status and how long your permission is valid.
- For your employer, get a code specifically for the right to work and give it to them with your date of birth.
- Before travelling, check the passport in your account and the expiry date of your permission.
All eVisa guides
Choose your specific problem. All account actions take place in the official GOV.UK service. You do not need to enter personal details on Svoi.
What are an eVisa and a UKVI account?
An eVisa is an electronic record of your identity and immigration status. A UKVI account is the account you use to access it. Creating an account, linking an eVisa to it and getting visa permission are separate actions.
Check not just the visa name but also the dates and work conditions. A share code's validity period is not the same as the period of your permission. If the code is valid for another 90 days, this does not mean your visa has been extended by 90 days. A saved image of your eVisa does not replace an official check by your employer.
Who needs which code?
For seasonal work, choose proof of the right to work. A different type of code is needed to check the right to rent in England. For travel or another check, select the relevant purpose in the service; do not send a rental code to your employer.
People with a different status may have other ways to prove it. British and Irish citizens usually prove their right to work with documents showing their citizenship; they do not need to create an eVisa for this guide. Having an eVisa does not in itself give you the right to work, receive benefits or rent on any terms.
If your eVisa is not yet visible
First, find your visa decision letter and UKVI account confirmation. You may already have an account after applying or using the UK Immigration: ID Check app. If you have one, you do not need to create a new one. Try signing in with the document or number you used for the account.
If you really do not have an account, open the official account creation service. After verifying your identity, you need to link your eVisa: simply registering an account does not mean your status is already available. If the Home Office created an account but you have never been able to sign in, this is listed separately as a reason to report an error.
New passport, phone number or address
Update your passport, name, email, phone number and address through Update your UKVI account. To sign in, you may need the previous document you used when creating the account. After making the change, check that your current passport appears in the record.
If you are waiting for a decision on a visa application, the service does not let you change your name or passport. Changing account details does not change or extend your immigration permission itself. If the problem is an incorrect status, report an error rather than changing personal details arbitrarily.
BRPs and the move to digital status
The date on the plastic card and the expiry date of your immigration permission may differ. An expired BRP is not proof of the right to work on its own and is not a valid document for travel.
According to GOV.UK, you can use an expired BRP to create a UKVI account for 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card or until 31 December 2026 — whichever comes first. This is a rule for creating an account, not a visa extension or permission to travel with an expired card.
Svoi's previous account setup guidance about 18 months and 30 June 2026 no longer reflects the current GOV.UK page. Neither the card's expiry nor the end of the period for using it to set up an account determines your visa's validity on its own. Check your decision and eVisa.
If it is urgent or you need help
If you can sign in but your eVisa shows incorrect details, will not open because of a technical error or will not let you get a share code, use Report an error with your eVisa. This is a different process from recovering access or adding a new passport.
Contacting UKVI does not guarantee a resolution before your shift or flight. Keep your reference number and explain the situation to your scheme operator or employer. If there are technical problems with the check, the employer can use the Employer Checking Service under the official conditions. Do not try to get around visa restrictions with a new code.
Your share code and date of birth are for the specific person checking your status. Do not post them in a group chat. A sign-in code sent by SMS or email is a different code: do not give it to an employer, intermediary or chat administrator. Svoi does not ask for your passport, date of birth or access to UKVI.
Frequently asked questions
What is an eVisa?
It is a digital record of your identity and immigration status. You access it through a UKVI account. It shows the conditions of your permission; it does not create new rights.
Do I need an eVisa?
Follow your visa decision letter and the GOV.UK instructions. A seasonal worker with an eVisa uses it to prove their status; valid physical documents and other statuses have their own rules.
How do I get a share code?
Open the official service, sign in to your account and choose the purpose of the check. Your employer needs a code for the right to work and your date of birth.
My employer will not accept my share code — what should I do?
Check the code's purpose and validity period, give your employer a link to the official checking service and ask them to explain the reason. A technical error, visa restrictions and discrimination require different actions.
What does 30 June 2026 mean in the old guide?
It was a date calculated under the previous 18-month rule. For creating an account, GOV.UK now specifies 24 months after the expiry date printed on the BRP or 31 December 2026, whichever comes first.
Can I work somewhere else if I have a share code?
A share code confirms information about your status but does not change your visa conditions. Seasonal Worker allows the work listed in your CoS — certificate of sponsorship. The code does not give you the right to a second job, a permanent job or other work outside these conditions.