Are you trying to find the visa number on your UK visa? The answer now depends on whether you have a modern UK eVisa or an older physical visa vignette in your passport.

The United Kingdom has moved from physical immigration documents to a digital immigration system.

This means that if your UK visa has recently been approved, you will normally have an eVisa rather than a visa sticker pasted into your passport.

This is important because older advice telling you to simply look under your date of birth on a UK visa sticker can now be misleading.

There are also several different numbers associated with a UK immigration application, including:

• A visa vignette or sticker serial number;
• A GWF number;
• A Unique Application Number (UAN);
• A UKVI customer number;
• A passport number;
• A share code when proving immigration status.

These numbers do different jobs, so before entering a number on a form, make sure you understand exactly which reference the organization is requesting.

What Is a UK Visa Number?

The expression “UK visa number” can be confusing because there is no single number with that name that is used for every UK visa holder in every situation.

If you have an older physical visa vignette, someone asking for your visa number may be referring to the identifying number printed on that sticker.

If you have an eVisa, however, there may be no physical visa sticker to examine at all.

You may instead be asked for an immigration application or UKVI reference such as your:

• GWF number; or
• UAN.

Read the instructions on the form carefully rather than assuming every request for a “visa number” means the same thing.

Does the UK Still Put Visa Stickers in Passports?

For new successful visa applications, the UK has moved to digital immigration status.

UK visa vignettes—the physical stickers traditionally placed inside passports—are no longer routinely issued to new successful applicants.

Instead, your immigration permission is normally recorded digitally as an eVisa.

If you already have a valid physical vignette that was issued before the transition, however, you can continue using it until the date on which that vignette expires.

What Is a UK eVisa?

An eVisa is the digital record of your UK immigration status. It records information such as:

• Your identity;
• Your immigration status;
• The type of permission you have;
• When your immigration permission expires;
• Conditions attached to your status;
• Whether you are allowed to work;
• Other rights associated with your immigration permission.

You access the eVisa through your UK Visas and Immigration account, commonly known as your UKVI account.

If you are travelling using an eVisa, make sure the passport or travel document you intend to travel with is correctly linked to your UKVI account.

Where Can I Find My UK Visa Number if I Have an eVisa?

If you have an eVisa, do not search your passport expecting to find a newly issued visa sticker.

Instead, first determine what number the organization is actually asking you to provide. Your relevant reference may be one of the following:

GWF Number

GWF stands for Global Web Form. This is an application reference associated with certain UK visa applications.

You may find it on correspondence relating to your visa application or decision.

Unique Application Number (UAN)

You may have a Unique Application Number associated with your immigration application.

This can also be used as an immigration reference in situations where UKVI asks for one.

UKVI Customer Number

Some applicants may also have a UKVI customer number. It is another identifier that can be used in certain interactions with UKVI.

Share Code

A share code is different from your visa or application number. You can generate a share code when you need to prove aspects of your immigration status to an authorized person or organization.

For example, share codes can be used for certain:

• Right-to-work checks;
• Right-to-rent checks;
• Immigration-status checks.

A share code is temporary, so do not treat it as your permanent visa number.

Where Is the Visa Number on an Older UK Visa Vignette?

If you still have an older physical UK visa sticker in your passport, you may see several numbers on it.

One of the most prominent identifiers is the nine-digit visa vignette serial number, which appears in red on the visa sticker.

You may also see a VAF or other application-related number on older vignette designs.

This is why simply saying: “Your visa number is the number under your date of birth” is not sufficiently precise.

The correct number depends on what the person, institution or application form is specifically requesting.

Common UK Visa and Immigration Numbers Explained

How to Read an Older UK Visa Vignette

Although new applicants generally use eVisas, many people may still have valid physical visa stickers issued before the digital transition. An older UK entry-clearance vignette can contain information such as:

• Your name;
• Date of birth;
• Nationality;
• Passport number;
• Visa category;
• Valid-from date;
• Valid-until date;
• Number of entries;
• Visa conditions;
• Visa or vignette identifying numbers.

What Does “Valid From” Mean?

This is the date from which that physical vignette can be used. You should not assume you can use the vignette to travel before its stated validity begins.

What Does “Valid Until” Mean?

This requires an important distinction.

If the vignette was issued as an entry-clearance window for someone with longer immigration permission, the expiry of the sticker does not necessarily mean that the person’s underlying immigration permission also ends on that date.

The person’s digital immigration status may show permission extending well beyond the vignette’s travel window.

If you have an eVisa, check your digital immigration status for the period and conditions of your actual permission.

What Does “MULT” Mean?

On an older vignette, MULT ordinarily indicates multiple entries during the period for which that vignette permits such travel.

If a vignette is specifically restricted to a particular number of entries, follow the conditions printed on it.

What Do the Conditions Mean?

Your immigration permission may contain conditions relating to:

• Employment;
• Study;
• Access to public funds;
• Other immigration restrictions.

With modern eVisas, these conditions are viewed through your digital immigration status rather than relying solely on a sticker in the passport.

Is a UK Vignette Still Valid if You Already Have One?

Yes, an existing vignette does not automatically become invalid simply because the UK has moved to eVisas.

If you have a valid vignette in your passport or travel document, it can generally continue to be used until its stated expiry date.

But you should also make sure you can access your eVisa where one has been issued to you.

Is a UK Visa Vignette Valid for Only 30 Days?

Do not rely on the old rule that a UK entry vignette is always valid for 30 days.

The UK previously used different entry-vignette validity arrangements, including longer entry windows.

More importantly, new successful applicants now generally receive digital immigration status instead of a physical entry vignette.

If you already have a vignette, use the exact dates printed on your document rather than assuming it is valid for a fixed number of days.

Do UK Visa Holders Still Have to Register With the Police?

No. The UK’s police registration scheme has ended. If an old visa document or old guidance tells you to register with the police after arriving in the UK, that requirement is no longer in force.

This is one reason you should be careful about relying on old immigration guidance found online.

How Do I Prove My UK Immigration Status Now?

For most modern visa holders, immigration status is proved digitally. You can sign in to your UKVI account to view your eVisa.

Depending on the purpose, you may also be able to generate a share code so an employer, landlord or another authorized party can verify the relevant part of your status.

You generally do not need to hand over a screenshot of your eVisa as though it were a physical immigration card.

What Should I Check Before Travelling to the UK With an eVisa?

Before you travel, make sure:

• Your visa application has actually been approved;
• You can access your UKVI account;
• Your eVisa shows the correct immigration status;
• Your name and date of birth are correct;
• Your current passport or travel document is linked to your UKVI account;
• Your immigration permission is valid for your intended travel.

If you renew or change your passport, update the relevant details in your UKVI account when required.

This is important because your digital immigration permission needs to be connected with the document you use when travelling.

What if the Information on My eVisa Is Wrong?

Do not ignore an incorrect:

• Name;
• Date of birth;
• Nationality;
• Immigration status;
• Visa condition.

Use the appropriate UKVI process to report an error or update your account details, depending on what is wrong.

It is especially important to deal with errors before travelling or attempting to prove your right to work or rent.

Do Dependants Use the Main Applicant’s eVisa?

No. A spouse, partner or child who has been granted immigration permission as a dependant normally has their own immigration status.

Where an eVisa is required, each dependant needs access to their own digital status rather than simply appearing as an extra name on the main applicant’s eVisa.

So Which Number Should You Enter When a Form Asks for Your “UK Visa Number”?

Do not guess. First determine whether the form is asking for:

• Your physical vignette number;
• Your GWF application number;
• Your UAN;
• Your UKVI customer number;
• Your passport number;
• A share code.

If the form was designed before the introduction of eVisas and specifically asks for a number from a visa sticker that you were never issued, contact the organization and ask what it accepts from eVisa holders.

This is safer than entering an unrelated reference simply because it looks like a visa number.