UKVI share codes added to UK marriage checks 25 Feb
From 25 February 2026, couples in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can use a UKVI share code to show they are exempt from immigration control when giving notice to marry or form a civil partnership. The change comes via new Home Office regulations made on 29 January 2026 and laid before Parliament on 2 February 2026. Mike Tapp, Parliamentary Under‑Secretary of State at the Home Office, is named on the instrument, which legislation.gov.uk records alongside confirmation that Registrars General across the UK were consulted.
What changes is the proof you can offer. You may still present a letter from the Secretary of State confirming you are exempt from immigration control. Alternatively, you can provide your date of birth and a valid UKVI share code so the registrar can view your online UK Visas and Immigration account. That account must display a digital record stating you are exempt for the purposes of section 49 of the Immigration Act 2014.
What this means for you: at your notice appointment, make sure the share code is valid on the day and that your personal details match exactly. If the registrar cannot access your record, or the code has expired, they can ask you to generate another code and may specify how long they need access for. Bringing your usual identity documents remains sensible even when using a digital code.
Why now? Since the Immigration Act 2014, proposed marriages and civil partnerships must be referred to the Secretary of State if at least one party is not exempt, to help stop sham marriages. The new rules do not change who is exempt; they modernise how exemption can be shown by accepting digital status alongside paper letters. The idea is to make checks clearer and quicker without adding steps for genuine couples.
A quick explainer for students and readers: being ‘exempt from immigration control’ is a specific legal category, covering defined groups such as certain diplomats or members of visiting forces. It is different from having permission to be in the UK on a visa. If you think you are exempt, check your official status first and ensure your UKVI account reflects it before you book notice.
Because the evidence is now digital as well as paper, a share code acts like a time‑limited key you create and pass to the registrar. You control when to generate it and who can use it. The regulations also add clear definitions of ‘online UK Visas and Immigration account’ and ‘share code’ so every register office is talking about the same tools in the same way.
If you are giving notice in England and Wales, the acceptance of share codes sits in regulation 3 of the amending rules. For Scotland and Northern Ireland, the mirror change appears in regulation 4. In practice you should see a consistent approach across the UK, with registrars able to check the same digital record.
What it means in the classroom: this is a practical example of how public services move from paper to digital while balancing rights. The goal is to target sham arrangements through evidence, not stereotype or guesswork. If an investigation is triggered under the 2014 scheme, it should follow the law and the facts-not assumptions about nationality, language or appearance.
The Home Office’s own note says no significant impact is expected on private, voluntary or public sectors. That signals an administrative update rather than a change to fees or the core steps couples follow. The biggest difference many people will notice is shorter conversations at the counter when a digital record confirms exemption straight away.
Planning ahead: if your ceremony is after 25 February 2026, log in to your UKVI account now to check your details, especially your name and date of birth. When you book your appointment, ask whether your local office prefers a letter or a share code so you turn up ready. If you can bring both, even better-belt and braces.