UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration)
UKVI — UK Visas and Immigration — is the Home Office agency that processes every UK visa and immigration application, grants and revokes sponsor licences, and enforces compliance. If you've applied for a Skilled Worker visa, your Certificate of Sponsorship was verified by UKVI, and your visa decision was made by UKVI.
In This Article
- What is UKVI?
- UKVI vs the Home Office
- What UKVI does for visa applicants
- What UKVI does for sponsors and employers
- The UKVI online service
- How to contact UKVI
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Frequently asked questions
- Related terms
What is UKVI?
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is the executive agency of the Home Office responsible for:
- Receiving and deciding all UK visa and immigration applications
- Granting, suspending, and revoking sponsor licences
- Operating the Sponsor Management System (SMS) used by licensed employers
- Running the UKVI online service (for checking visa status and generating share codes)
- Conducting sponsor compliance visits and enforcement action
UKVI was created in 2013 when the UK Border Agency was split. Before 2013, immigration decisions were handled by UKBA; today that function sits with UKVI, while Border Force handles passport control at ports and airports.
Every decision on a Skilled Worker visa, student visa, family visa, or Indefinite Leave to Remain application is made by a UKVI caseworker.
UKVI vs the Home Office
The distinction matters in practice:
| Home Office | UKVI | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Sets immigration policy and law | Implements policy; makes individual decisions |
| What it publishes | Immigration Rules, statements of changes, White Papers | Decision letters, sponsor guidance, processing times |
| Who you deal with | Politicians and senior officials | Caseworkers, compliance officers, helpline staff |
| Example | Decides to raise Skilled Worker salary thresholds | Issues refusal notices when applications don't meet the new threshold |
When journalists write about "Home Office immigration rules", they mean policy set by politicians. When a visa applicant receives a refusal, it comes from UKVI. Both are housed in the same department but have distinct functions.
What UKVI Does for Visa Applicants
For individuals applying for a UK visa, UKVI:
Receives and assesses applications: All applications — whether submitted online, at a visa application centre abroad, or in-country — feed into UKVI's caseworking teams. Caseworkers check that the applicant meets the rules for their specific visa route.
Verifies supporting documents: UKVI checks Certificates of Sponsorship, salary evidence, English language test results, financial documents, and any other evidence submitted. For Skilled Worker visas, UKVI also verifies the sponsor's licence status before granting.
Issues decisions: Approvals result in a visa vignette (for overseas applicants) or an updated BRP/eVisa. Refusals come with written reasons citing which Immigration Rules the application failed to meet.
Tracks leave conditions: UKVI records the conditions of every grant of leave — the visa category, any work restrictions, and the expiry date. This record is what employers see when they do a right to work check.
Handles extensions and switches: In-country applications to extend or switch visa category go through UKVI's in-country teams. The grant is recorded digitally.
What UKVI Does for Sponsors and Employers
For licensed employers (sponsors), UKVI runs the Sponsor Management System (SMS) — the online portal through which sponsors:
- Assign Certificates of Sponsorship to individual workers
- Report changes in worker circumstances (e.g., changed role, absence, early termination)
- Apply for additional CoS allocations
- Renew their sponsor licence
UKVI's compliance team also conducts sponsor compliance visits — announced or unannounced audits of sponsors' HR records, payroll, and CoS assignments. Poor compliance leads to action by UKVI: a civil penalty, licence downgrade, suspension, or revocation.
The Sponsor Licensing Unit (SLU) is the UKVI team that handles new licence applications and renewals. Employers apply through the same GOV.UK portal.
The UKVI Online Service
The UKVI online service (at gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status) is the primary tool for visa holders and employers to verify immigration status from 2025 onward:
For visa holders:
- View your current immigration status and visa expiry date
- Generate a "share code" to prove your right to work or right to rent to third parties
- Access and manage your eVisa (the digital record replacing physical BRPs)
- Update personal details such as passport number after getting a new passport
For employers:
- Use a worker's share code to verify their right to work status online
- Receive the worker's leave details without needing to physically inspect a BRP card
The transition from physical Biometric Residence Permits to the fully digital eVisa system is being managed through this service. From 31 December 2024, new visa grants are recorded as eVisas rather than physical cards. Existing BRP holders were migrated to eVisas throughout 2024–2025.
How to Contact UKVI
UKVI does not make it easy to reach individual caseworkers — all contact goes through central channels:
Telephone (UK): 0300 790 6268 — general visa and immigration enquiries; processing time queries Telephone (outside UK): +44 203 875 4669
Web: Contact form at gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk — separate forms for inside UK and outside UK queries
Sponsor Licensing Unit: Sponsors with licence-specific queries contact the SLU through the Sponsor Management System or via the dedicated employer helpline.
Processing times: UKVI publishes current processing times at gov.uk/visa-processing-times. Standard Skilled Worker applications submitted from inside the UK typically take 3–8 weeks; Priority and Super Priority services are available for faster decisions at additional cost.
Immigration advisers: For complex cases, refusals, or appeals, UKVI recommends using a registered immigration adviser (OISC-regulated) or solicitor. UKVI staff cannot give legal advice.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing UKVI refusal with a ban. A UKVI refusal on a visa application is not the same as an entry ban. Refusals can be appealed or reapplied for (subject to the specific grounds). Entry bans are separate consequences that arise from overstaying or deception — not standard refusals.
- Contacting the Home Office when you mean UKVI. Writing to the Home Office Secretary of State about a visa decision won't speed anything up. Your point of contact is UKVI, accessed through the helpline or web form.
- Assuming a UKVI online check replaces a right to work check. The employer must conduct the check; it cannot be outsourced or skipped. A share code generated by the worker must be input into the employer verification system — UKVI records the check was made.
- Not updating your passport details on the UKVI system. If you get a new passport after your eVisa was issued, your old passport number won't match. Update your details via the UKVI online service before using the new passport for travel or right to work checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does UKVI stand for?
UKVI stands for UK Visas and Immigration. It is the executive agency within the Home Office responsible for making decisions on all visa and immigration applications to the UK, including work visas, student visas, family visas, and Indefinite Leave to Remain. It also oversees the sponsor licence system.
Is UKVI the same as the Home Office?
No, but UKVI is part of the Home Office. The Home Office is the government department that sets immigration policy. UKVI is the operational agency within the Home Office that implements that policy — processing applications, granting licences, and conducting enforcement. When you receive a visa decision letter or sponsor compliance notice, it comes from UKVI, not the Home Office directly.
What is the UKVI online service?
The UKVI online service (accessed via GOV.UK) is the portal where visa holders can view their immigration status, generate a right to work share code for employers, and manage their eVisa account. Employers use it to check a worker's right to work status. From 2025, UKVI is transitioning all visa holders from physical Biometric Residence Permits to digital eVisas, making the online service the primary record of leave.
How do I contact UKVI about my visa?
UKVI operates a telephone helpline and web contact form via GOV.UK. For visa application queries, call the UKVI contact centre on 0300 790 6268 (UK) or +44 203 875 4669 (outside UK). Response times vary — complex queries may be better handled through an immigration solicitor or adviser. Employers with sponsor licence queries should contact the Sponsor Licensing Unit separately.
Related Terms
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