ISLAMABAD (MNN); Pakistani nationals, including tourists travelling to the United Kingdom, will now be able to use an electronic visa system instead of obtaining a physical visa sticker in their passports, according to a statement issued by the British High Commission on Wednesday.
The UK government had introduced an e-visa system for Pakistanis in July 2025, but at that time it was restricted to study and work visa categories. Applicants for general visitor visas were still required to secure a physical visa.
In its latest statement, the high commission announced that visitor visa applicants will continue to apply online and visit a visa application centre to provide biometric data. However, successful applicants will now receive a digital confirmation of their immigration status through an e-visa, which can be accessed via an online UK Visas and Immigration account.
The commission explained that applicants will no longer need to revisit the visa application centre to collect their passports after submission. Instead, they can retain their passports once biometric requirements have been completed.
According to the statement, the e-visa system offers a more secure method of managing immigration status and reduces the risk of passports or visa documents being lost or damaged. Travellers will be able to generate a share code to verify their visa status at border control and other relevant authorities. There will be no changes to visa processing times, eligibility requirements, or visa conditions.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott described the development as a significant and positive step for Pakistani travellers to the UK. She said the new system would save time and make it easier for applicants to prove their visa status through the share code facility.
In a separate video message shared on her official X account, Marriott stated that nearly all visitors heading to the UK can now benefit from the e-visa service. She highlighted that travellers would no longer need to surrender their passports during the process or return to the visa centre to retrieve them.
She reiterated that while the format of the visa has changed to digital, the overall application procedure and processing timelines remain the same.
Earlier in 2024, the UK government had announced its plan to transition the country’s immigration framework to a fully digital system, gradually replacing physical visa documents with an online immigration status platform.
