Wrong Details on Your UK eVisa? How to Update Your UKVI Account or Report an Error

An eVisa only works if the record behind it is right. A passport renewed at the Kochi Passport Seva Kendra, a new mobile number, or a typo in your date of birth can stop an airline from matching you to your status. It can also make your share code fail just when a new employer needs it.

GOV.UK has two separate services for these problems, and choosing the wrong one wastes days. This guide explains which to use. If you have not set up a UKVI account yet, read our UK eVisa setup guide first. For proving your status to employers or landlords, see our share code guide.

Update or report? The quick test

Ask one question: did something change in my life, or did UKVI record something wrongly?

What you can update yourself

Through the “Update your details” service (update-your-details.homeoffice.gov.uk) you can change:

• your passport or travel document, or add a second one
• your name
• your mobile number and email address
• your home and postal address
• your nationality, for example if you hold dual nationality
• your photo, if you can no longer be recognised from it (it must meet the digital photo rules)

To change your name, date of birth or nationality, you need an identity document that shows the change. To sign in, you need one of: passport, national identity card, biometric residence card, expired BRP or UKVI customer number. You also need access to the phone or email already linked to the account.

The 31 December 2026 expired-BRP deadline

Many people from Kerala still rely on an old BRP card to get into their UKVI account. GOV.UK says an expired BRP can be used to set up an account for 24 months after the expiry date printed on it, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first.

If your expired BRP is your only way in, act before the end of 2026. Add your current passport to your UKVI account so you have another document to sign in with.

When you cannot make changes

• While a visa application is pending, you cannot change your name or your passport. Plan renewals around this, for example before you apply to extend.
• Immigration details cannot be changed through this service. A new visa or a citizenship application is a separate process.
• If you only helped someone apply for their visa, you cannot use the service to change their details. They must do it themselves.

Changing your passport, including from India

A renewed Indian passport is the most common reason our clients need an update. The rules depend on the passport type:

• Biometric passport (one with a chip): you can update the passport number, expiry date, name or nationality online. Other changes need UKVI to update your account. You may have to give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre.
• Non-biometric passport: you can update only the passport number and expiry date online. Anything else needs UKVI, possibly with biometrics.

Update the account before you book flights. Airlines check that the passport you travel with matches the one on your eVisa, and they may refuse boarding if it does not.

How to report an eVisa error

Use the online “Report an error with your eVisa” service (report-error-evisa.homeoffice.gov.uk). Keep these ready:

• an email address or UK postal address where UKVI can reach you
• your name, date of birth and nationality as they appear on your eVisa, even if they are wrong
• one reference: passport number, expired BRP number, GWF number, UAN, or UKVI customer number

Someone else can report for you. GOV.UK lists a legal representative, employer, friend, colleague, or university or charity staff member.

How long it takes: UKVI aims to fix most issues within 5 working days, and complex issues within 15 working days. You will get an email if it will take longer or if more information is needed. Report early if you have a flight or a job start date coming up.

Managing a parent’s or child’s account

If you look after a UKVI account for a child or for an elderly parent, you can manage it on their behalf with your own email and phone number. When they can manage it themselves, or when a child turns 18, update the account to their email and phone number so they can sign in.

How Visa Xpert helps

At our office in Ravipuram, MG Road, Kochi, we help clients work out whether they need an update or an error report. We check documents before you submit and prepare the details GOV.UK asks for. Call or WhatsApp +91 89211 53604 with your situation.

Frequently asked questions

I renewed my passport in India. Do I update or report an error?

Update. A new passport is a change in your own details, so use the “Update your details” service and add the new passport before you travel.

My eVisa shows the wrong date of birth. What should I do?

Report an error. Give your details exactly as they appear on the eVisa, and include a reference such as your passport or GWF number.

How long does UKVI take to fix an eVisa error?

UKVI aims to fix most issues within 5 working days, and complex issues within 15 working days. It emails you if it will take longer.

Can someone else report the error for me?

Yes. GOV.UK allows a legal representative, employer, friend, colleague, or university or charity staff member to report on your behalf.

Can I change my passport while my visa application is being decided?

No. You cannot change your name or passport in your UKVI account while a decision on a visa application is pending.