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  • FAQ

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    How do I update my digital status (UKVI account) to link my latest passport / national identity card to my eVisa?

    To link a new passport or national identity card to your UKVI account, you need to use the Home Office 'Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details' service, which you can find at https://www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details.

    If the new identity document is in the same name and the same nationality as the identity document that you use to access your UKVI account at the moment, then the update process involves taking a photograph of your new identity document. The Home Office have created a video to take you through the steps - see here.

    💡 Photo not accepted? We have had some reports that it is better to do the update process on a smartphone than on a computer. We understand this is because on a computer you have to upload a photograph of the new identity document and there can be issues with file formats, whereas if you use a smartphone, the phone can directly take a photograph of the identity document. 

    💡 Identity document not accepted? There can be different reasons for this, but a common misunderstanding is the 'Issuing country' field. In almost all cases, this should be your country of nationality, even if your passport (or national identity card) was issued by your national embassy in the UK.  If you enter UK in 'Issuing country', your photograph will be rejected. Note: for Refugee Travel Documents, the issuing country will be be different to country of nationality. However at present such travel documents cannot be linked to UKVI accounts, although they remain valid for travel (see section 2.3 in Carrier Guidance).

    If the new identity document is in a different name, or a different nationality, then it used to be the case that you were asked to send off your document by post to the Home Office. However, since early 2025 the update process now allows you to use an app (the UK Immigration: ID Check app - note this is similar to the app you may have used to apply for EU Settlement Scheme status, but it is a different app, so make sure you check the name of the app carefully).

    The Home Office have created a separate video to take you through the steps - see here.

    💡 Chip won't scan? Using the app involves using your phone to scan the chip of your passport or national identity card. If your identity document doesn't have a biometric chip, you won't be able to use the app and you will still need to send the document to the Home Office by past. Using the app also needs to have the NFC option on your phone turned on. Sometimes you have to try several times to locate the chip, and if it doesn't work within a certain number of attempts, you can be locked out for 24 hours which is very frustrating. If you have any trouble locating the chip, then you could try downloading the "ReadID Me" app by a company called Inverid. This app does not collect any data, but it allows you to find exactly where the biometric chip is located on your identity document, and to check whether the chip is working or is damaged. And it allows you unlimited attempts, without locking you out.

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