ISLAMABAD; Starting today (15 July), most Pakistani students and workers traveling to the UK will no longer require a physical visa sticker in their passports. The UK government has launched a new system that replaces traditional visa vignettes with a digital immigration record, known as an eVisa.
An eVisa serves as an online confirmation of a person’s immigration status and the conditions tied to their stay in the UK. This information is accessible through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, which applicants can create and manage online.
This shift is part of the UK’s efforts to modernize its border and immigration systems, making them more secure, efficient, and user-friendly. Millions have already used eVisas under certain immigration routes, demonstrating the system’s reliability.
British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, highlighted the benefits of the change, stating:
“These updates to the UK visa system will make it far easier for students and workers to prove their identity and visa status. It also allows applicants to keep their passports, saving them valuable time.”
The transition from physical visas to eVisas does not impact an individual’s immigration status or the rules governing their stay.
The new digital system is now available to main applicants under categories including:
- Students (including short-term study up to 11 months)
- Global Business Mobility routes (Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier, Secondment Worker)
- Global Talent
- International Sportsperson
- Skilled Worker (including Health and Care)
- Temporary Work (Charity Worker, Creative Worker, Government Authorised Exchange, International Agreement, Religious work)
- Youth Mobility Scheme
Travelers can link their passport or travel document to their UKVI account, ensuring smooth international travel. Through the “view and prove” service, they can securely share their immigration status with employers, landlords (in England), and other third parties.
Dependants and applicants under categories outside study or work, such as visitor visas, will still receive physical visa stickers. Those holding valid physical visas do not need to take any immediate action.
The UK plans to extend eVisas to all visa categories in the future, aiming for a fully digital, safer, and more streamlined visa process for all applicants.
