BRP Replacement and the UK eVisa: What Changed and What You Need to Do

If you have been searching for how to replace a lost or expired BRP card, the answer has changed significantly. The UK no longer issues Biometric Residence Permits. The entire physical card system has been replaced by the digital eVisa, and understanding how to access, maintain, and use your online immigration status is now an essential part of living and working in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa.

What Happened to BRPs

Physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) served as the primary proof of immigration status in the UK for over a decade. Since April 2025, the Home Office has phased them out entirely for new grants of leave. Successful Skilled Worker applicants in 2026 do not receive a physical card. Instead, they receive a digital eVisa — a record held in the UKVI system, accessible through a personal UKVI online account.

Vignette stickers in passports — the old paper entry clearance stickers — have also been discontinued. Applicants who previously received a vignette sticker to travel to the UK and then collected a BRP on arrival now travel on an eVisa and present their passport linked to the UKVI account at the border.

How the eVisa Works

Your eVisa is tied to your UKVI account. When you need to prove your immigration status — to an employer conducting a right-to-work check, to a landlord conducting a right-to-rent check, or to a government service — you generate a share code through your UKVI account. The share code is a nine-character alphanumeric string, valid for 90 days, that gives the third party read-only access to your status details. You share the code and your date of birth; they enter both into the Home Office online checking service to see your status, visa expiry date, and work entitlement.

The eVisa record contains the same information that used to appear on the BRP card: your name, date of birth, biometric details, visa type, and conditions of leave. The difference is that it exists only digitally, in the UKVI system.

Setting Up Your UKVI Account

You should set up your UKVI account as soon as your visa is approved. The approval email from UKVI will include instructions to create an account. You need:

• Your passport (the same one used for the application)
• Your email address
• A phone number for two-factor authentication

Once created, your eVisa will appear in the account. Check that the details — name, date of birth, visa type, expiry date, and conditions — match your passport and CoS exactly. Errors in the eVisa record should be reported to UKVI immediately using the contact portal, before you use the eVisa for any formal purpose.

If you change your passport, you must update your UKVI account to link the new passport. Border systems match your immigration status to your travel document; if the account is linked to an expired passport and you travel on a new one, you can face issues at the UK border.

What "BRP Replacement" Means Now

Searching for "BRP replacement" typically reflects two different situations in 2026:

Situation 1: You held a physical BRP under a legacy visa that has since expired or been extended. When you renewed your visa, your new leave was issued as an eVisa. Your old BRP is no longer the valid status document — the eVisa is. The card does not need to be "replaced" because it was superseded by the digital record.

Situation 2: You have an older visa grant with a physical BRP that is still valid. Technically the BRP is still a valid document if it was issued before the phase-out, but the Home Office has been migrating holders to eVisas. You should have received communications prompting you to create a UKVI account. Once you set up an account and your status is migrated, your eVisa becomes the operative status document. The physical card becomes a legacy artefact.

If you genuinely lost a BRP that is still the active record for your current leave (possible for older grants), contact UKVI directly. The fee for replacing a lost BRP card was £56 historically, but the process for legacy BRP replacement has changed as the system transitions — check the current gov.uk guidance for the most up-to-date instructions.

Accessing Your eVisa If You Are Locked Out

If you lose access to your UKVI account — for example, because you no longer have access to the email address or phone number used to register — the process involves:

1. Attempting account recovery through the UKVI account portal
2. If recovery fails, contacting the UKVI Helpdesk to verify your identity and regain access

Do not delay resolving account access issues. Your eVisa is your legal proof of status for employment, renting, and travel. Being unable to generate share codes can cause practical problems with employers or landlords even if your underlying immigration status is fully valid.

Travelling on an eVisa

When you travel internationally and return to the UK, border staff verify your eVisa digitally using your passport. The passport must be the one linked to your UKVI account. If you have renewed your passport since the eVisa was granted, update your UKVI account with the new passport details before travelling.

Some carriers require you to obtain a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) confirmation before boarding, though Skilled Worker visa holders generally have their leave confirmed digitally and do not need an ETA. Check carrier-specific requirements if you have any doubt.

What New Skilled Worker Applicants Should Know

If you are applying for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026, you will not receive a BRP. After your application is approved:

1. Create your UKVI account using the link in your approval email
2. Verify all eVisa details are correct
3. Link your travel passport to the account
4. Test your share code generation before you need it for an employer or landlord check

There is no physical card to collect, no visit to a collection point, and no replacement system to navigate — provided you manage your account correctly from the outset.

For a complete walkthrough of the post-approval steps, including UKVI account setup, right-to-work confirmation, and arrival requirements, the UK Skilled Worker Visa Guide covers the full process from application through your first day working in the UK.