Automated eVisa checks end delays for four million residents

More than four million UK residents with eVisas will now be able to have their right to work, right to rent and immigration status checked automatically, ending the need for businesses to process them manually.

The capability has been delivered by identity verification provider Vouchsafe, which says it is the first and so far the only platform to offer full automation for UK eVisa checks. Its technology allows eVisas to be verified in the same streamlined flow as passports, driving licences and other identity documents – a shift for employers, landlords and public sector bodies who have had to run separate manual processes for these checks since biometric residence permits (BRPs) were replaced last year.

Until now, businesses had to validate eVisas by entering share codes into GOV.UK one by one, downloading and handling PDF confirmations, and maintaining parallel compliance workflows. This created delays for organisations carrying out large volumes of checks and led some to avoid accepting eVisas altogether.

With Vouchsafe, applicants provide their share code and date of birth, and the system retrieves the status from GOV.UK automatically, cross-checks it against other evidence already collected, and presents the results in a consistent, auditable format. All original artefacts are stored securely and in a GDPR-compliant way, creating a full audit trail that can be retrieved if needed.

Chloe Coleman, Vouchsafe’s chief executive, said the release solved a problem that had been holding businesses back. “eVisas were designed to improve security, but for businesses they created a fragmented process,” she said. “For the first time, organisations can handle eVisas as seamlessly as any other ID, saving time for teams and making life easier for applicants.”

The update supports all three types of share code – right to work, right to rent and immigration status – and allows them to be handled in a single workflow alongside other forms of ID. For employers and landlords, it eliminates the need to move between systems or handle files manually, reducing errors and speeding up onboarding.