Schengen Visa for BRP and eVisa Holders: UK Checklist

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a Schengen visa to the consulate of your main destination, usually through its UK visa centre. Bring your passport, proof of your UK status, now your eVisa and a share code, travel insurance, bookings and three months of bank statements. Apply up to six months ahead.

Who needs a Schengen visa when living in the UK

Whether you need a visa depends on your passport, not on where you live. Living in the UK does not give you visa-free travel to the Schengen Area.

The EU publishes the list of nationalities that need a visa. It includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Turkey. If you hold one of those passports, you need a Schengen visa for a short trip, whether you are in the UK as a student, a skilled worker, a family member or with indefinite leave to remain.

If your passport is from a visa-free country, such as the United States, Canada or Malaysia, you do not need a visa for short stays. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need one either.

BRP to eVisa: what changed

The UK government says: "All BRPs have now expired and have been replaced by eVisas." The last of them expired by 31 December 2024. Your eVisa is an online record of your immigration status. You see it, and prove it to others, through a free UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.

What this means for a Schengen application:

• An expired BRP is no longer proof for travel. The Home Office let people travel on an expired BRP up to and including 1 June 2025. Since 2 June 2025, expired BRPs have not been accepted for travel. Gov.uk says you might still be able to use one to sign in to your account and get a share code, for up to 24 months after its expiry date or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first, but not to travel.
• Share codes last 90 days. Gov.uk says: "A share code lasts for 90 days", and you can use it as many times as you need before it expires. Get it shortly before your appointment, so it is still valid when the consulate checks it.
• Your passport must be in your UKVI account. Gov.uk says: "You must travel with a valid passport or travel document that you've added to your UKVI account." If you renew your passport, add the new one before you apply for your visa.
• You will be checked on the way home. Your eVisa is checked when you check in to return to the UK, and gov.uk warns that "Your carrier may not let you travel if your details are wrong."

Proof of UK status for your Schengen application

Consulates now ask for your eVisa, shown through a share code and usually a printout. Wording and validity rules differ, and some official pages still mention BRP cards. This table shows what each consulate's own checklist said on 9 October 2026.

The safe rule

Aim for at least three months of UK permission left after your trip ends. That meets every requirement in the table. If you have less, check your consulate's current checklist before you book an appointment.

Use the share code for proving your immigration status, not one made for an employer. Italy's visa centre says "other types of share code (i.e. right to work) are not valid for visa purposes". Print what the consulate asks for, because some centres do not accept screenshots.

Which consulate and which visa centre

You apply to the country that is your main destination. That is usually where you will spend the most days. Our guide on which Schengen country to apply to explains the rule with examples.

Then check your consular district. Spain splits the UK between consulates in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Germany's Edinburgh consulate serves only Scottish residents. Each country uses its own provider in the UK, such as VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS International or, for Greece, Global Visa Center World.

The document checklist

The EU has agreed a common list of supporting documents for short-stay applicants in the UK. Every Schengen consulate works from it, and some add their own requirements. This is the core set.

If you work in the UK

The EU list asks for a recent, official and signed letter from your employer, with its address, contact details, the signatory's position and its UK registration number, stating your position and salary. Add payslips for the last three months.

If you are self-employed

A recent, signed letter from your accountant, banker or solicitor, describing your business and the annual salary you draw from it, plus your self-assessment tax return.

If you study in the UK

A recent, official and signed letter from your school, college or university, giving your name, type of studies, number of hours per week and attendance record.

If someone else pays for your trip

If your spouse supports you, the EU list asks for your marriage certificate, your spouse's bank statements and a statement that they will support you. If a parent supports you, it asks for proof of the relationship, such as a birth certificate, their bank statements and the same statement of support.

If you are applying for a child under 18

A birth certificate. If the child travels alone or with one parent, the list also asks for both parents' passports or certified copies, proof of consent from the parents or guardian, and a school certificate from the UK.

When to apply and how long it takes

You can apply up to six months before your trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before. Consulates must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application, and this can be extended to 45 days in individual cases. Book your appointment early, because spring and summer are busy. Our guide on what to do when there are no appointments covers your options.

Problems that catch out UK residents

• Your UK permission ends soon after your trip. See the validity table above. If your permission is about to run out, deal with your UK application first.
• Your UK visa extension is pending. If you have applied to extend or switch a Skilled Worker or Student visa, gov.uk says: "You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do." Wait for the decision before you plan a Schengen trip.
• You have a new passport. Add it to your UKVI account before you apply. Gov.uk says you cannot change your passport details while you are waiting for a UK visa decision, so plan around that.
• Old wording on official pages. Some consulate pages still ask for a BRP card. Greece's visa centre says in its checklist that BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. Bring your eVisa printout and share code, and check with the consulate if you are unsure.
• You are only visiting the UK. Consulates in the UK take applications from people who live here. Italy says holders of a UK visit visa "are not eligible to apply", Greece says a visitor visa "cannot be accepted", and Germany accepts non-residents only "in very exceptional cases".

Get your file checked for free

Book a free eligibility check and we will tell you exactly what your consulate needs before you book an appointment. Start with our pages for Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Iceland and Finland.