Can Right to Work Documents Be Sent by Email? The Rules
Can right to work documents be sent by email or WhatsApp? Why scans fail a manual check, which remote checks work, and what candidates can send.
Can right to work documents be sent by email? Not on their own: for a manual check, the Home Office says you must have the original documents in your physical possession, so an emailed scan or a WhatsApp photo is not a valid check. The online share code check and a digital verification service both work remotely, and candidates can send plenty of other compliance documents by email or WhatsApp.
In short:
- A scan, photo or screenshot of a passport or other document does not give you a valid manual right to work check.
- For a manual check over video, you must already hold the original document, for example posted to you first.
- A share code and date of birth can be sent by email or WhatsApp, and you then do the online check yourself.
- British and Irish passport holders can be checked remotely through a certified digital verification service provider.
- DBS ID checks follow their own rules, which allow a scanned image first only in limited cases.
Can right to work documents be sent by email for a manual check?
No, an emailed copy is not enough for a manual right to work check.
The Home Office employer's guide to right to work checks, updated on 1 October 2026, says employers must obtain original documents. The employer must be in physical possession of those originals during the check. This rule is not new.
The guide is clear that you must not rely on a screenshot or scanned copy. A WhatsApp photo of a passport counts as a scan.
Can you do a manual check over video?
Yes, but only with the original already in your hands. The candidate can join by live video, but you must hold the physical document while you check it against them. In practice, that usually means the candidate posts the original to you before the call.
Why does this matter more for agencies now?
From 1 October 2026, the employment business that engages a worker on a worker's contract is treated as the employer for the right to work scheme. If you supply the worker, the check and the penalty risk sit with your agency. See our UK right to work checks guide for which documents count.
Which right to work checks can you do remotely?
Two routes work fully remotely: the Home Office online check with a share code, and a check through a certified digital verification service provider.
The online share code check
Many candidates who are not British or Irish prove their right to work online. They get a share code from GOV.UK through Prove your right to work and give it to you with their date of birth.
You then run the check yourself on View a job applicant's right to work details. The guide says simply viewing the details the candidate was shown is not enough.
Where a candidate has an eVisa, the online check is the only route. Right to work share codes start with "W" and are valid for 90 calendar days from issue.
Digital verification for British and Irish passports
A right to work digital verification service provider (DVSP) can check valid British or Irish passports, and Irish passport cards, remotely. The provider must be certified and registered on the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes register. Your agency stays liable for the check, so confirm the result matches the person you are supplying.
The guide also says you must not treat a candidate less favourably for not using a DVSP. Offer them another way to prove their right to work.
What can candidates usefully send by email or WhatsApp?
Most of a compliance file can come in by email or WhatsApp, as long as right to work goes through a valid route.
| Item | Email or WhatsApp is fine? | What else you need |
|---|---|---|
| Right to work share code and date of birth | Yes | You run the online check and keep the result |
| Photo or scan of a passport for right to work | Only as a heads-up | A valid check: original in your possession, online check or DVSP |
| Photo of a passport for DBS ID | Only in limited cases | Originals seen before employment starts |
| Training and qualification certificates | Yes | Check against the role and the client's requirements |
| CV, employment history, referee details | Yes | Your own reference process |
| Proof of address for a DBS application | Only in limited cases | The same DBS ID rules as passports |
A photo of a passport can still help. It flags an expired or wrong document early. Just never file it as the check itself.
What are the rules for DBS ID checks?
DBS ID checks have their own rules, set out in the DBS ID checking guidelines. The standard way is in person with physical documents, and photocopies or scanned documents cannot be accepted.
Where a face-to-face meeting is not practical, two other options exist:
- Video with originals: the ID checker must hold the physical documents, which can be posted in advance.
- Video with images first: documents can be held up to the camera or sent as a scanned image by email. The physical documents must then be seen before employment starts.
You must record a reason specific to that candidate for not checking in person. DBS also encourages digital ID verification where the applicant has a passport or driving licence. Our DBS checks for agency workers guide covers which level each role needs.
Where does Amy fit?
Amy, our AI document agent, collects the parts of a compliance file that can come in remotely. She asks candidates over WhatsApp or email from your agency's domain, with no portal and no login, and files accepted documents to the candidate's record in your ATS.
For right to work, Amy can ask for the share code and date of birth so your team can run the online check. She doesn't replace the check itself, and a passport photo she collects is not a check. See our security page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a WhatsApp photo of a passport a valid right to work check?
No. The Home Office employer's guide says you must not rely on a scanned copy or screenshot for a manual check. You need the original in your physical possession, an online share code check, or a check through a certified DVSP.
Can a candidate email me their share code?
Yes. A share code and date of birth can be sent by email or WhatsApp. You then run the check yourself on the GOV.UK service, because viewing the candidate's own screen is not enough.
Can British citizens use a share code?
No. British and Irish citizens cannot get a share code. They can show an original document for a manual check, or a British or Irish passport holder can be checked remotely through a certified digital verification service provider.
Can DBS ID documents be sent by email?
Only in limited cases. Under DBS guidance, scanned images by email can be used for an initial video check when in-person checking is not practical. The physical documents must still be seen before employment starts.
Get the rest of the file in without chasing
Right to work needs a proper check, but the share code, certificates and references don't need a trip to the office. Book a call to see how Amy collects them over WhatsApp and email.
Please note: this article is general information, not legal advice, and was correct at the time of writing (October 2026). Rules and guidance change, so please check the latest guidance from the Home Office and the Disclosure and Barring Service before relying on it.