Visa
A revised reference guide, rather than a new visa route
The Home Office updated its Examining identity documents publication on 21 October 2026, recording the upload of a revised guide. The publication supports people examining documents presented as evidence of identity, nationality or status. Its update notice does not announce a new visa category, application fee or deadline for every migrant to replace a passport. Employers should read the revised reference alongside the rules governing the particular check they are carrying out.
The accessible Guidance on examining identity documents provides examples of document types, potential alterations and basic inspection checklists. These are tools for assessing whether a document appears genuine and belongs to its presenter. They should not be treated as a substitute for checking whether a person has permission to perform a particular job. A genuine passport can establish identity without establishing the immigration conditions relevant to an offer of employment.
Use the prescribed employment check before the person starts
The government's Checking a job applicant's right to work page identifies the available checking methods. Depending on the person and evidence, these include the online service using a share code, a permitted original-document check, or an eligible identity-service-provider process. British and Irish citizens cannot obtain an online immigration share code to prove work rights; the guidance directs employers to the appropriate document or identity-provider route instead. Checks must be completed before employment begins.
The same page says biometric residence cards and permits can no longer be accepted for an original-document right-to-work check. An applicant with digital immigration status should be directed to the relevant share-code process. Employers must also establish any restriction on the work offered, including permitted hours where applicable. A visual inspection showing that an old card has convincing security features does not turn that card into acceptable evidence for the statutory employment check.
A share code lets the employer see the relevant digital record
The View your eVisa and get a share code resource is the practical starting point for status holders who need to provide digital evidence. An eVisa records identity and immigration status, including relevant rights in the United Kingdom. The holder gives the person checking a share code and date of birth. The service says codes last 90 days and can be used repeatedly during that period; a fresh code can also be generated when needed.
For example, an illustrative candidate with an expired residence card and current digital permission should use the official status service to obtain the evidence needed for the employer's online check. The expiry printed on the old card does not by itself describe the candidate's current permission. Equally, an account screenshot should not be substituted for the employer's required checking procedure. The official service allows the checker to view the information made available for that purpose.
The eVisa service lists the credentials that can be used to sign in, including a passport, national identity card, UKVI customer number or specified residence documents. An expired biometric residence permit can therefore be relevant to account access even though it is not acceptable for the employer's original-document check. Applicants should distinguish that login function from the evidence the employer must verify.
Keep evidence and use the checking service where required
The Right to work checks: an employer's guide, whose publication page identifies the 1 October 2026 edition, is the detailed operational resource. It covers initial and follow-up checks, acceptable documents and circumstances requiring the Employer Checking Service. Its publication page explains that a Positive Verification Notice may be available where an employer is reasonably satisfied that the person has a qualifying outstanding application or appeal. Employers should follow that procedure rather than infer unlawful status from a technical access problem.
The document-examination guide's checklists direct attention to the photograph, document construction, possible substituted pages and altered details. Suspected false documents can be referred to the police or local immigration enforcement office. The employment guidance separately requires employers to retain appropriate evidence and observe data-protection obligations. Read together, these resources support a consistent process: establish identity, verify the applicable work permission, record the required check and schedule any necessary follow-up. Neither the publication update nor the examples establish an individual's eligibility without that assessment.
