How to Get a Share Code from Your eVisa (Work, Rent)

A share code is a code you create in your UKVI account so an employer, landlord or other organisation can see your immigration status from your eVisa. Pick the service that matches the purpose. Use “Prove your right to work” for an employer, “Prove your right to rent” for a landlord in England only, and “View and prove your immigration status” for anything else, including travel. A share code lasts 90 days, and you give it to the organisation together with your date of birth.

What an eVisa is and how share codes fit in

An eVisa is an online record of your identity and immigration status. GOV.UK says it shows what rights you have in the UK, for example to work, rent or claim benefits. An employer or landlord cannot sign in to your account. Instead, you create a share code that lets them see only what they need.

To sign in to your UKVI account you use the identity document linked to it, such as your passport, national identity card, biometric residence card (BRC) or biometric residence permit (BRP). You also need access to the mobile number or email address registered on the account.

Which service should you use?

Purpose	Official service	Who uses the code	Note
New job or an employer’s follow-up check	Prove your right to work	Employer	Shows the work you are allowed to do and for how long
Renting a home in England	Prove your right to rent	Landlord or letting agent	Not needed in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
Travel and other purposes	View and prove your immigration status	Other organisations, or at the border	Shows your status and any conditions

Share codes can only be used for the purpose they were created for. The Home Office guide to right to rent checks says every status share code begins with a letter showing its purpose. A code starting with R was made to prove a right to rent. Landlords cannot accept codes beginning with W or S, because those are for other services. So ask the organisation exactly what it needs before you create a code.

Who can use these services

People who are not British or Irish citizens can use a share code, or show eligible original immigration documents instead.
British or Commonwealth citizens with right of abode can use the service if they hold a digital certificate of entitlement. GOV.UK says you cannot get a share code if your certificate is a vignette sticker in your passport; you would need to apply for a digital certificate first.
British and Irish citizens cannot get a share code. They prove their rights with a passport or other documents listed on GOV.UK.

How to get a share code, step by step

Ask what the organisation needs to check. Right to work, right to rent in England, or something else?
Open the correct service on GOV.UK. Do not follow links sent in messages you do not trust.
Sign in to your UKVI account. Use the identity document linked to your account and the security code sent to your phone or email.
Check the details shown. Confirm your name, date of birth, type of permission and expiry date before you share anything.
Create the code. You will see the information the organisation will be able to view.
Send the code with your date of birth. You can email it from the service or give it to the organisation directly.
Note the expiry date. The code lasts 90 days and can be used as many times as needed. You can get a new code whenever you need one.

What employers and landlords do with your code

Employers

Your employer must check that you are allowed to work for them before you start. They enter your share code and date of birth in the Home Office service and see the work you can do and any time limit. GOV.UK says your employer cannot reject you because you gave them an eligible immigration document instead of a share code. Employers must not discriminate against anyone because of where they are from. If your permission is time-limited, your employer will check again later.

Landlords in England

A landlord must check everyone aged 18 or over who will live in the property as their main home, even if they are not named on the tenancy. The Home Office code of practice for landlords, dated 1 October 2026, says checks should apply to all adult occupiers, whether or not the landlord believes they are in the UK legally. If your right to rent is time-limited, the first check must be made no earlier than 28 calendar days before the tenancy starts, and a follow-up check must happen before the time limit ends. If you have an eVisa, the landlord must use the Home Office online checking service.

If your details change or something is wrong

New passport, or a change of name, phone, email or address: update your UKVI account. A change of name, date of birth or nationality needs evidence.
Waiting for a visa decision: GOV.UK says you cannot change your name or passport on the account until the decision is made.
Wrong details, or you can see your eVisa but cannot get a share code: use the service to report an eVisa error. UKVI aims to fix most issues within 5 working days; complex cases can take up to 15.
Problems signing in: use the UKVI account recovery service, not the error report.

When you travel, carry the passport linked to your account. GOV.UK says a share code for travel is valid for 90 days, so you can get it before your trip.

Key timings

Item	Timing	Source
Share code validity	90 days	GOV.UK — eVisa
Using an expired BRP to get a code	24 months after the expiry date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first, according to the UKVI account page. The right to work and right to rent share code pages still say 18 months	GOV.UK — eVisa: set up a UKVI account
Earliest right to rent check for time-limited permission	28 calendar days before the tenancy starts	Landlords’ code of practice, 1 October 2026
Fixing an eVisa error	Most within 5 working days; complex up to 15	GOV.UK — Report an eVisa error

Common mistakes

Sending a code from the wrong service. A landlord cannot use a code beginning with W or S for a right to rent check.
Sending the code without your date of birth. The organisation needs both.
Leaving an old passport on your account. If you renew your passport and do not update it, you may face delays when you travel.
Thinking a code lasts forever. After 90 days the employer or landlord will need a new one if they have not finished the check.
Posting your code or account screenshots in public groups. Share them only with the intended organisation.
Being asked for a right to rent check outside England. GOV.UK says you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a share code valid?

90 days from when it is created. You can use it as many times as needed in that period, and create a new one at any time.

Can an employer refuse me because I gave documents instead of a share code?

No. GOV.UK says your employer cannot reject your application because you gave an eligible immigration document instead of a share code. The same applies to landlords in England.

Do I need to prove my right to rent in Scotland or Wales?

No. Right to rent checks apply in England only.

What does an employer see when they use my code?

Some personal details, the type of work you are allowed to do, and how long you can work if your permission is time-limited. You see this information before you create the code.

My BRP has expired. Can I still use it?

Yes, you can use an expired BRP to sign in to your UKVI account. The UKVI account page says it works for 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. But the right to work and right to rent share code pages still say 18 months, so signing in with your passport is the safer option.

I cannot get a share code. What should I do?

If you can view your eVisa but cannot get a share code, report it through the eVisa error service. If you cannot sign in at all, use account recovery instead.

This page is general information, not legal advice. If your immigration situation is complex or your record shows something you do not understand, speak to a regulated adviser, such as an SRA-regulated solicitor or an adviser registered with the IAA (formerly OISC). You can find one in our immigration lawyers directory. Immigration rules change, so check the linked GOV.UK pages before you act.

Sources

Your next step

If you are looking for a home, read our housing checklist. If you are starting a job, see working in the UK, and tick the task off in My UK Plan without saving the code itself in the tool.

Reviewed 17 October 2026.

eVisa and share codes: choose the right service