Before you start

A valid UK visa granted under the relevant route
A UKVI account linked to your immigration status
The Immigration Health Surcharge paid as part of your application
A UK address, for the NI number application and most services

Step-by-step

1
Create and check your UKVI account before you travel
Your eVisa is the only record of your status — there is no sticker and no card. Set up the account, confirm your passport and personal details are correct, and check the permissions match what you were granted. Errors are far easier to fix before you fly.
OnlineWho: YouBefore travel
2
Learn how to generate a share code
Employers, landlords and some services check your status by entering a share code you generate from your UKVI account. You will need this in your first week for right-to-work and right-to-rent checks. Each code is time-limited and purpose-specific.
OnlineWho: You
3
Update your passport details whenever they change
The eVisa is linked to your passport, so renewing one without updating the UKVI account can cause problems at the border. Maintaining that record is a permanent responsibility rather than a one-off.
OnlineWho: You
4
Apply for a National Insurance number once you arrive
You can only apply from inside the UK. Check first whether you already have one — some visa categories had it printed in the remarks on an old BRP. Without it you can still work legally, but you may be put on an emergency tax code.
OnlineWho: YouWeek 1
5
Have your right-to-rent share code ready before viewings
Bristol's rental market is one of the tightest in England and properties go within days. Landlords must verify immigration status before letting, and an applicant who can produce a share code on the spot is materially easier to say yes to than one who will 'sort it out later'. Generate one before your first viewing.
OnlineWho: YouBefore viewings
6
Register with a GP promptly
You have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge with your visa application, so NHS care is available to you — but access runs through a GP practice and registering is not automatic. Do it while you are well.
In personWho: YouWeek 1

Documents you’ll need

Passport with the visa granted
UKVI account credentials
Share code, generated as needed for employers and landlords
Proof of UK address
Evidence of Immigration Health Surcharge payment, included in your visa grant

Things most newcomers don’t know

There is no physical document any more, and that changes what can go wrong.

UKVI stopped issuing visa vignette stickers to new applicants on 1 July 2026, and BRP cards ended before that. Your status exists only as an online record. If your UKVI account details are wrong, your passport changes, or you cannot access the account at a border or a letting agency, there is no fallback card to show.

Source: GOV.UK — online immigration status (eVisa)

In a market this tight, the share code is a competitive advantage.

Bristol lettings routinely receive many applications within days of listing, and landlords face penalties for getting a right-to-rent check wrong. Some smaller landlords quietly avoid overseas applicants rather than learn the process. Arriving at a viewing able to generate a code on your phone and explain it in one sentence removes the objection before it forms.

Source: GOV.UK — right to rent checks

You can only apply for a National Insurance number from inside the UK.

There is no way to arrange it in advance. Apply in your first week, and check first whether you already have one — several visa categories had the number printed on the reverse of the old BRP. Working without it is legal but usually means an emergency tax code and a reclaim later.

Source: GOV.UK — apply for a National Insurance number

The Immigration Health Surcharge is paid up front for the whole visa.

It is charged per year of leave and paid as a lump sum with the application, on top of the visa fee, for every family member. For a five-year visa with dependants this runs into thousands of pounds before you have earned anything. Budget it as part of the cost of moving.

Source: GOV.UK — pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application

Common mistakes to avoid

Travelling without having set up and checked your UKVI account.
Renewing a passport without updating the linked eVisa record.
Turning up to a Bristol viewing without a right-to-rent share code ready.
Applying for a National Insurance number you already have printed on an old BRP.
Not budgeting the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is paid up front for the full visa length.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.