Can you prove your immigration status when an employer, landlord or airline asks?
Your immigration permission needs to be accessible when an employer, landlord or travel provider asks for evidence. A missing share code, an old passport linked to your account or an unexpected status entry can interrupt plans even when you believe your permission is in order.
An eVisa is the digital record of your immigration status and conditions. The practical task is to access that record, check it and use the correct service to prove the rights relevant to what you want to do.
Knightsbridge Immigration can help you identify whether the issue concerns account access, the recorded information or an immigration question requiring advice.
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Access and check your eVisa
You use a UK Visas and Immigration account to access your eVisa. Setting up the account and accessing the government service are free.
Follow the instructions in your immigration decision and the official eVisa guidance. If you already have an account, establish how to access it before starting another setup process.
Once signed in, check that the record reflects the permission granted. Pay attention to your identity details, immigration category, dates and conditions. Compare anything unexpected with the decision correspondence.
Keep your application references and decision accessible. These help explain the issue if a correction or further enquiry is needed.
If you manage a child’s account, check their record and travel document details separately. Keep clear which account and permission belong to each family member.
An expired physical residence permit does not necessarily mean expired immigration permission. The permission and the document used to prove it are separate matters.
Use the right share code
A share code lets someone check your status through the relevant government service. You normally provide the code and your date of birth so that the check can be completed.
Choose the purpose that matches the request:
| What you need to prove | Starting point |
|---|---|
| Your right to work | Prove your right to work |
| Your right to rent in England | Prove your right to rent |
| Your status for another purpose or travel | View your eVisa and get a share code |
Share codes are valid for 90 days and can be replaced when needed. That is the code’s validity period, not an extension of your immigration permission.
For an online right to work check, an employer must use the appropriate checking service. A screenshot of your own account is not a substitute for that check. Our right to work guide covers the employer’s responsibilities.
Keep your account details current
Your account should contain your current contact and identity document details. This helps you sign in, receive correspondence and use the passport or travel document you intend to travel with.
Use the UKVI account update service for changes such as contact details or a new passport. An account update does not amend the substance of an immigration application.
There are restrictions while a visa decision is pending: the account service does not allow changes to your name or passport or travel document during that period. If a relevant change occurs, check the appropriate procedure with UKVI rather than assuming the online account can record it.
If someone helped create your account, make sure you understand how to access it yourself. Do not send passwords or one time sign-in codes in an initial enquiry to an adviser.
Match the problem to the correct process
Different issues need different responses.
You cannot sign in. Account recovery may be appropriate if you have lost access to the email address or telephone number used for verification.
Your personal details have changed. Use the account update process, subject to any restriction that applies to your circumstances.
Your eVisa displays an error or will not generate a share code. Use the official error reporting service. Its guidance also explains what to do if an eVisa cannot be viewed after account setup.
You believe the permission itself was granted incorrectly. An error in the length or conditions of a grant may need a different procedure, including Administrative Review where available. Seek advice promptly about the decision and deadline.
Keep a record of what you reported and any reference or response. Reporting a technical problem should not be treated as an application to extend permission or a substitute for challenging a decision through the appropriate process.
If an employer cannot confirm your status
A problem obtaining a share code does not, by itself, settle whether you have a right to work. That depends on your immigration position.
Where the usual online or document check cannot be completed, the employer may need to use the Employer Checking Service. This can be relevant to an outstanding application, review or appeal, or a technical problem.
Provide the employer with the references and dates needed for the appropriate check. Avoid relying on an informal screenshot or an assumption about a pending application.
If a job start or continued employment is affected, explain that when seeking assistance. The practical deadline helps identify what needs attention first.
Check your details before travelling
Travel with the valid passport or travel document added to your UKVI account. Check that your account, eVisa and passenger information agree before departure.
GOV UK advises that a share code can provide additional evidence if a carrier or border official requests it. If a carrier cannot verify your eVisa, its staff can contact the UK Border Force carrier support hub.
Correct travel documents do not resolve every immigration travel question. If an application is pending, departure may affect that application or the permission you rely on. Check this separately before travelling.
Our guide to travel while an application is pending explains those issues.
How Knightsbridge can help
The starting point is to identify the problem accurately. An account access issue, an incorrect record and a dispute about the permission granted require different work.
If the government service addresses a straightforward account issue, the links above provide a direct starting point. Where you need advice on the immigration position or assistance within our authorised scope, we explain the proposed work and professional fee before it begins.
If specialist advice or a challenge outside our authorisation is required, we explain the need for an appropriately authorised professional. Any professional fee is separate from the free government account and eVisa access services.
Tell us what you need to prove
Explain what is happening, who needs to check your status and any relevant deadline. Include your visa type, the wording of the error and whether you have already contacted UKVI.
If the problem concerns a decision, provide the decision date and explain what appears to be wrong.
