TL;DR: The Home Office has released fresh UKVI account creation data tracking how many people have switched from physical documents to the UK eVisa system. The figures reveal uptake levels, gaps in registration, and ongoing risks for BRP holders yet to create an online account.
Introduction
The Home Office has published its latest statistical release on UK eVisa adoption, offering a detailed breakdown of how many individuals have created a UKVI account to access their online immigration status. This data, published on 30 September 2026, forms part of the government’s ongoing effort to monitor the transition away from physical immigration documents, including the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), towards a fully digital system. For applicants, sponsors, and employers alike, understanding the pace and scale of UK eVisa account creation is essential, as it signals how smoothly the broader digital immigration status reform is proceeding and where gaps in compliance may remain.
The release is a routine but significant operational update. It does not introduce new rules, but it quantifies the real-world progress of a policy shift that has already reshaped how immigration status is proven in the United Kingdom. The data is particularly relevant to employers conducting right to work checks, landlords carrying out right to rent checks, and individuals who may still be holding an expired BRP without having registered for their corresponding eVisa.
What is the UK eVisa (UKVI Account Creation Data)?
The UK eVisa is an online record of an individual’s immigration status, replacing physical documents such as the BRP. The UKVI account creation data is an official statistical publication from the Home Office that tracks the number of people who have registered a UKVI account to view, prove, and share this digital status. According to the published guidance, the data is intended to provide transparency on the pace of migration from paper-based and card-based evidence to the fully online system.## Why Does This Data Matter?### Tracking the Shift Away from the BRP UK SystemThe phasing out of the BRP UK card has been one of the most consequential changes to immigration documentation in recent years. Previously, most non-British nationals with permission to live, work, or study in the UK held a physical BRP card as their primary evidence of status. That card has now been largely superseded by the eVisa, with most BRPs having expired or ceased to be valid for proving status beyond their printed expiry date.The UKVI account creation statistics allow the Home Office, employers, and advisers to assess how comprehensively this transition has been completed. A high account creation rate suggests the migrant population has successfully adapted to digital-only status checks. A persistent gap, however, indicates that a portion of BRP holders may remain without an active UKVI account, placing them at risk of being unable to prove their status during employment, travel, or tenancy checks.> According to the Home Office, individuals who have not yet created a UKVI account are strongly encouraged to do so promptly, since the BRP card alone is no longer sufficient evidence of immigration status in most circumstances.### What the Figures Typically RevealPrevious releases in this series have broken down account creation numbers by nationality, visa category, and time period, allowing analysts to identify which cohorts have been slower to register. Students, visa holders settled many years ago, and those with limited digital access have historically shown lower account creation rates compared with recent Skilled Worker or Family visa applicants, who are generally guided through UKVI account setup at the point of their original application.### Operational Risk for Late RegistrantsFor those who have not created an account, the practical risk is significant. Without a UKVI account, an individual cannot generate a ‘share code’ to prove their right to work, right to rent, or right to access services such as banking or healthcare. Employers and landlords conducting checks will find no valid digital record if the individual has not completed registration, potentially leading to failed checks even where the underlying immigration status remains valid.## Deep Dive: How the Data is Compiled and PublishedThe Home Office compiles UKVI account creation statistics from its internal digital status systems, cross-referencing individuals who hold an underlying grant of leave with those who have successfully logged into or registered a UKVI account. The published data typically includes cumulative totals, recent registration volumes, and demographic or category breakdowns where available.This statistical transparency sits alongside wider government commitments to monitor the digital immigration status rollout, following earlier confirmation that the BRP would cease to be a standalone method of proving status. The publication cadence allows for ongoing scrutiny of whether outreach campaigns, reminder communications, and support services are succeeding in closing the registration gap.### Who is Affected by Incomplete RegistrationAffected individuals include long-term visa holders who obtained their BRP years before the eVisa system existed, individuals who changed email addresses or lost access to the details used in their original application, and those with limited confidence using online government services. The data release does not identify named individuals but allows policymakers to estimate the overall scale of this population.## Implications for Sponsors and EmployersSponsors and employers retain a continuing legal duty to conduct compliant right to work checks, and the UKVI account creation data is a useful indicator of systemic risk within the wider workforce. Where account creation rates remain incomplete for certain visa categories, employers sponsoring or employing individuals from those cohorts may encounter a higher proportion of checks where the sponsored worker or employee has not yet generated a share code.Employers are advised by the Home Office to direct any employee or prospective employee holding an expired BRP, but who cannot produce a share code, towards the UKVI account creation process rather than relying on the physical card. Sponsors conducting right to work checks on existing staff should also be aware that historical checks carried out using a BRP may now need to be supplemented with a digital check if the BRP has since expired.## Frequently Asked Questions**Q: What is a UKVI account and why is it needed?**A: A UKVI account is the online portal through which an individual accesses, views, and proves their UK immigration status. It replaces the need to carry or present a physical BRP for most status checks.**Q: Is the BRP card still valid for proving immigration status?**A: According to Home Office guidance, most BRP cards expired and are no longer valid for proving status beyond their printed expiry date, even where the underlying immigration permission continues. A UKVI account and eVisa are now required in most cases.**Q: What happens if someone has not created a UKVI account?**A: Individuals without a UKVI account may be unable to generate a share code, which could result in failed right to work, right to rent, or other status verification checks, despite holding valid underlying immigration permission.**Q: Does the published data name individuals who have not registered?**A: No. The UKVI account creation data is published as aggregated statistics, showing overall volumes and trends rather than identifying specific individuals.**Q: How often is the UKVI account creation data updated?**A: The Home Office publishes this data periodically as part of its ongoing transparency reporting on the digital immigration status system, with the most recent release dated 30 September 2026.## Key Takeaways- The Home Office has published updated statistics on UK eVisa UKVI account creation as of 30 September 2026.- The data tracks the transition from the physical BRP card to fully digital immigration status records.- Gaps in account creation remain a risk factor for certain visa holder cohorts, particularly long-term residents.- Employers and sponsors retain responsibility for compliant right to work checks, which now rely on digital share codes rather than physical documents.- Individuals without a UKVI account may struggle to prove their status for employment, housing, or travel purposes.## ConclusionThe latest UKVI account creation data provides a valuable operational snapshot of how comprehensively the UK’s digital immigration status system has been adopted. While the figures demonstrate significant progress in transitioning away from the BRP, they also highlight ongoing gaps among certain groups yet to register. For sponsors, employers, and affected individuals, the data underscores the continuing importance of ensuring UKVI account registration is complete, as the eVisa remains the definitive method of proving immigration status in the United Kingdom.