How to Get a Share Code to Prove Your UK Immigration Status Online

What a share code proves

A share code gives another person or organisation time-limited access to relevant information from your digital UK immigration status. Your eVisa records your identity, immigration status and conditions, including rights that may relate to work, renting or access to services.

You do not give the checker access to your UKVI account. Instead, you provide a share code together with your date of birth. GOV.UK states that you do not need to show the person your eVisa itself.

Have your UKVI account details ready

To view your eVisa and generate a code, you need the details you use to sign in to your UKVI account. Depending on how your account was created, this could be your:

• passport;
• national identity card;
• biometric residence card, whether valid or expired;
• expired biometric residence permit; or
• UKVI customer number.

You also need access to the phone number or email address associated with your UKVI account so that you can complete the sign-in process.

Generate the code through the online service

After signing in to View and Prove, choose the option to prove your status. The service asks why you are sharing your immigration information. Choosing the correct purpose matters because it determines which information the checker is allowed to see.

1. Sign in to your UKVI account and open your eVisa.
2. Select the option to prove your status.
3. Choose the reason you need to share it.
4. Review the information that will be disclosed.
5. Select the option to create the share code.
6. Give the code and your date of birth to the checker.

The service can be used on devices such as a mobile phone, tablet or computer.

A share code lasts for 90 days

Each code is valid for 90 days. You can use the same code as many times as needed before it expires.

You can also generate a new code whenever necessary. Creating another share code does not invalidate other codes that are still within their validity period.

Do not reuse a code for the wrong type of check

A share code can only be used for the purpose selected when it was generated. For example, a code generated for a landlord to perform a right-to-rent check cannot be reused by an employer for a right-to-work check. Generate a new code and choose the correct purpose if a different organisation needs to check a different right.

For an employer checking your right to work

If you are eligible for the online right-to-work service, generate a right-to-work share code and give it to your prospective or existing employer with your date of birth. The employer can use the official GOV.UK checking service to see information such as the types of work you are allowed to do and how long you can work in the UK if your permission is time-limited.

British and Irish citizens generally use different evidence for right-to-work checks. GOV.UK also allows certain British or Commonwealth citizens with a digital certificate of entitlement proving the right of abode to generate a share code.

For a right-to-rent check in England

If you are not a British or Irish citizen, a share code can be one way to prove your right to rent to a landlord in England. The landlord uses your share code and date of birth to carry out the online check.

The statutory right-to-rent check described by GOV.UK applies in England. GOV.UK states that you do not need to prove a right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Proving your status to another organisation

The View and Prove service can also generate a code for other organisations that need to confirm your immigration status. Depending on the purpose, this can include an education provider or another body that needs evidence of your rights or status.

The checker enters the share code and your date of birth into the appropriate GOV.UK checking service. They can then view the information that is relevant to the purpose you selected.

Getting a share code before travelling

Your eVisa can be used for travel after your current passport or travel document has been added to your UKVI account. You must travel with the valid passport or travel document linked to your account.

A carrier or border official may sometimes ask for additional proof of your immigration status. GOV.UK says you can generate a share code for this purpose, and a travel share code is also valid for 90 days, so it can be obtained before you travel.

Before travelling, check that your UKVI account contains your current passport or travel document and that the personal details on your eVisa match the passenger information supplied to your carrier.

Update your UKVI account before sharing your status

You should keep your UKVI account details current. GOV.UK says you should update the account when relevant details change, including your passport or travel document, name, mobile phone number, email address, home address or postal address.

Before generating a share code, update your account if you have changed your name or nationality, or if your photograph needs replacing because you can no longer be recognised from it. Keeping the account current helps ensure that the information shown when you prove your status is correct.

Fix access or eVisa problems before trying again

If you cannot view your eVisa, first check that you have finished setting up your UKVI account and linked it to your eVisa. If you have lost access to the phone number or email used for sign-in, UKVI provides an account recovery route.

You should report an eVisa error if the information displayed is wrong or if you can view the eVisa but cannot generate a share code. UKVI states that it aims to fix most reported eVisa issues within 5 working days; complex cases can take up to 15 working days, with an email sent if it is likely to take longer.

Avoid these share-code problems

• Choose the correct purpose. A right-to-work code cannot simply be substituted for a right-to-rent or other-purpose code.
• Give the checker both the share code and your correct date of birth.
• Do not rely on an expired code. Generate another one after the 90-day validity period.
• Check your eVisa details before sharing them, particularly after a change of passport, name or nationality.
• For travel, make sure your current passport or travel document is linked to your UKVI account.
• Do not assume right-to-rent rules apply throughout the UK; the GOV.UK right-to-rent scheme described here applies to England.

What happens after you give someone the code

The employer, landlord or other checker enters your code and date of birth into the relevant GOV.UK service. They are then shown the immigration information relevant to that particular type of check.

The code does not permanently expose your account. It expires after 90 days, and once it expires the checker cannot use that code to access your status information. If they need a fresh check, you can generate another code.