The Cabinet Office confirmed that a major incident on 11 May left the GOV.UK One Login system—central to the Home Office’s eVisa and Right-to-Work share-code services—partially unavailable for two hours. The fault affected identity-proofing journeys carried out at Post Office counters and prevented some users from accessing return links to their online immigration accounts. Service was restored at 12:35 BST, but the disruption highlights the operational risk inherent in the UK’s shift to fully digital border documentation.
![GOV.UK One Login outage briefly disrupts digital status checks for travellers]()
For organisations seeking extra reassurance, VisaHQ can help. Through its UK platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) the company assists travellers and employers in obtaining and tracking visas, storing backup copies of eVisas and decision letters so that critical proof-of-status remains at hand even during government outages.
From 25 February 2026, almost all foreign travellers to the UK receive eVisas rather than passport stickers; employers and landlords must rely on share codes generated via One Login to verify status. When the platform fails, newly approved migrants cannot prove their right to work or rent, and airlines cannot confirm permission-to-travel records before boarding. Practical tips for mobility teams include advising travellers to download decision e-mails and carry proof of application references when flying, and reminding HR staff that share codes remain valid for 90 days—so refreshing them early reduces reliance on real-time service availability. The incident may also accelerate calls from trade bodies for an offline fallback, such as printable QR certificates, to protect business continuity.
For organisations seeking extra reassurance, VisaHQ can help. Through its UK platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) the company assists travellers and employers in obtaining and tracking visas, storing backup copies of eVisas and decision letters so that critical proof-of-status remains at hand even during government outages.
From 25 February 2026, almost all foreign travellers to the UK receive eVisas rather than passport stickers; employers and landlords must rely on share codes generated via One Login to verify status. When the platform fails, newly approved migrants cannot prove their right to work or rent, and airlines cannot confirm permission-to-travel records before boarding. Practical tips for mobility teams include advising travellers to download decision e-mails and carry proof of application references when flying, and reminding HR staff that share codes remain valid for 90 days—so refreshing them early reduces reliance on real-time service availability. The incident may also accelerate calls from trade bodies for an offline fallback, such as printable QR certificates, to protect business continuity.
