UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is developing a digital immigration system, replacing physical documents with an online record of immigration status – known as an eVisa.
UKVI will start to phase out the use of physical vignettes (the sticker in a passport that shows permission to enter and stay in the UK).
This change affects customers who are coming to the UK to work or study as the main migrant. These customers may not receive a vignette in their passport; instead, they need to create a UKVI account if they receive a successful decision and access their eVisa before they travel. The changes come into place for applications submitted and paid for online from 15 July 2025. These customers will be able to submit their biometrics and collect their passport on the same day, meaning they will not need to return to the Visa Application Centre to collect their passport at a later date. Please note, these customers can still expect to receive a decision on their application via email in line with UKVI processing timelines.
This new process only applies to main work or study visa customers who submit and pay for their application online on or after 15 July. Dependants of main migrants and those applying for other visas, such as visits, will still receive a physical vignette. For more information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/online-immigration-status-evisa.