UK eVisa and Digital Visas for Students: How It Works

What is the UK eVisa for students and does it replace the BRP?

The UK eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status, including the conditions of your permission, such as whether you can work or study. According to GOV.UK, eVisas have replaced physical immigration documents, and you need a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access yours.

For a Nepali student, this means a successful Student visa application gives you an eVisa, not a card to collect. GOV.UK's Student visa page says: "If your application is successful, you'll get an eVisa. This is an online record of your immigration status." It does not mention the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). The guidance on living in the UK: applying from overseas describes the eVisa as "replacing biometric residence permits (BRPs)".

For the money side of a UK application, see our guides to the UK student visa cost and the 2026-27 rule changes.

Digital visas: the numbers and dates

Every figure below was read on the linked official page in November 2026.

For how long UK decisions take in practice, read our UK student visa processing time answer.

How to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa

GOV.UK's Get access to your eVisa and set up a UKVI account pages give these steps:

1. Check whether you already have an account. You may have one if you used the "UK Immigration: ID Check" app or created an account for your visa application. Do not create a second one.
2. Create an account. You need a phone number and an email address you can use to sign in every time.
3. Confirm your identity and link the account to your eVisa. You cannot access your eVisa until this is done. You need a smartphone to install the identity app, though GOV.UK says there are other ways if you cannot use one.
4. Wait for access. You can usually see your eVisa straight away, but it can take up to 24 hours.

What to have ready: a valid passport plus your visa application number (global web form or unique application number), or a valid passport plus your BRP number, or an expired BRP. There is no charge to set up an account or access your eVisa.

The Student visa page also says you will need to link your travel document to your UKVI account, and that this should be the document you use to travel to the UK.

How does a share code work for a UK student eVisa?

A share code lets someone check your immigration status without seeing your whole record. GOV.UK's View and prove your immigration status page says:

• A share code lasts for 90 days. You can use it as many times as you need before it expires, then get a new one whenever you need.
• You get it online through the "View your eVisa and get a share code" service, signing in with your passport, national identity card, biometric residence card, expired BRP or UKVI customer number. You also need access to the mobile number or email linked to your UKVI account.
• The person checking needs your date of birth. They will see some of your personal details, and you are told what they will see when you generate the code.

GOV.UK names employers and landlords as people who may ask for a share code, and says you can also use it when you travel. The page does not mention universities, so if your university asks for proof of status, ask them which check they need and follow their instructions.

What should Nepali students do before and after arriving in the UK?

Based on the GOV.UK guidance on applying from overseas:

1. Do not travel before your visa is approved. GOV.UK states: "You must not travel to the UK before your visa application is approved."
2. Sign in to your UKVI account before you fly. View your eVisa and check your permission and your details. Not doing so may mean you are "delayed or denied boarding by carriers".
3. Check your passport is linked. The travel document you use must match the one linked to your account.
4. Know about the FAV. If you did not use an acceptable identity document at a Visa Application Centre, you may receive a form for accompanying an eVisa (FAV). You must return to the center to collect it before you travel.
5. Keep your details current. Update your account if your mobile number, email, name, identity document, home address or postal address changes. If you cannot update it from outside the UK, you can ask UKVI to do it for you, and you may need to give biometrics at a Visa Application Centre.

For the full list of changes that affect UK applicants, see our UK student visa rule changes for 2026-27 and the study in the UK guide.

How do online visa applications work in Australia, Canada and Germany?

Australia (online application). Home Affairs says you must apply online for a Student visa (subclass 500), and from outside Australia unless you hold an eligible visa and meet an exemption. The application charge starts from AUD 2,500, and you must hold a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) when your visa is decided. Applications lodged outside Australia are processed under a Ministerial Direction. Home Affairs says you attach your supporting documents, such as your Genuine Student evidence, to your ImmiAccount. Check the Home Affairs Student visa pages before applying. See study in Australia.

Canada (IRCC online account). IRCC says: "If you're applying for a study permit, you must apply online" and that you need an account to pay fees, submit the application and check status, according to its study permit page. You sign in with a GCKey username and password or a Canadian Interac Sign-In Partner, and you must use the same method each time, according to the IRCC account page. The application needs a provincial or territorial attestation letter. If you are between 14 and 79 years old you probably need biometrics, within 30 days of the letter date. See study in Canada.

Germany (Consular Services Portal). The Consular Services Portal lets you register, enter your details, upload documents and get an online check for missing items. An in-person appointment is still required for biometrics and the fee, and staff can check original documents. Long-term visas for 28 purposes, including study, can be applied for online. Do not try to apply online at a different mission. See study in Germany.

What are the common problems with digital visas and how do you avoid them?

• Two accounts. GOV.UK says not to create another UKVI account if you already have one. Try signing in first.
• Waiting for the eVisa to show. Access can take up to 24 hours after linking, so do not leave this until the airport.
• Wrong passport. If you renew your passport, update your UKVI account with the new details before you travel.
• Out-of-date contact details. Your account needs a phone number or email you can still use. GOV.UK calls keeping details up to date "really important".
• Shared codes. Share codes last 90 days, so generate a fresh one when an employer or landlord asks.
• Canada biometrics delay. IRCC says processing starts after it gets your biometrics, and you have 30 days from the letter date.
• Germany appointments. The Kathmandu embassy says appointments can be four to six weeks away, only one booking per person is allowed, and its page describes a waiting-list system from December 1, 2025. Check the current booking method on the embassy site.
• Incomplete files. The embassy says it accepts only complete applications and may request more documents or an interview.

To compare other destinations and dates, use our study abroad rule changes calendar.

Checked in November 2026

Frequently Asked Questions