WEBDESK: The United Kingdom has launched a new digital visa system for Pakistani nationals. From today, most students and workers travelling to the UK will no longer need a physical visa sticker in their passports. Instead, they will be issued a digital visa, called an eVisa.
The new eVisa is an online record of a person’s immigration status in the UK. It confirms their right to enter or stay in the country and lists any conditions attached to their stay. Applicants can check their status online by creating a secure UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.
The British Government says this change is part of its efforts to modernise and simplify its immigration process. It claims the eVisa system will make travel and document checks easier and safer.
British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, welcomed the move. She said, “These changes to the UK visa system will make it much simpler for students and workers to prove their identity and visa status. It also means applicants can hold onto their passports, saving them time.”
The UK Home Office confirmed that this is only the first stage of the transition. Over time, all UK visa routes will shift from physical documents to digital records.
Who Will Get eVisa?
From today, eVisa will be issued to main applicants under several visa categories. These include:
- Students, including 11-month short-term study visas
- Global Business Mobility routes such as Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier, and Secondment Worker
- Global Talent visa holders
- International Sportsperson visas
- Skilled Worker visas, including the Health and Care visa
- Temporary Work visas for Charity Workers, Creative Workers, Government Authorised Exchange, International Agreement, and Religious Worker categories
- Youth Mobility Scheme participants
Holders of these new eVisas can link their travel document, like a passport, to their UKVI account. They can then use the online “view and prove” service to confirm their immigration status to employers, landlords, or other authorities in the UK.
The British Government says this system has already been successfully tested in other immigration routes, with millions of people currently using eVisas. It insists the new system will provide a quicker, more secure, and paperless process for travellers.
Who Still Needs a Physical Visa?
Not everyone will receive a digital visa just yet. Applicants travelling as dependants or applying for visa categories outside study and work like general visitor visas will continue to get a physical visa sticker.
Also, people who already have a valid physical visa sticker in their passports do not need to do anything. Their existing documents remain valid.
The Home Office confirmed this is part of a gradual rollout. Eventually, all UK visa routes will switch to eVisas.
The British Government says this change reflects a wider global trend. Countries worldwide are moving towards digitised immigration systems to improve security and reduce paperwork.
Officials believe this will offer a more efficient and streamlined experience for travellers, while strengthening border security.
The UK Home Office added that updating to an eVisa will not change a person’s immigration status or the conditions of their stay in the UK. It is simply a new way to record and check that information.
The switch to eVisas marks a major change for Pakistani students and workers heading to the UK. It promises faster, easier, and safer travel, without the need for physical visa stickers. However, for those in other visa categories, the traditional system remains in place for now.
The move signals the start of a new, fully digital era for the UK’s immigration system.
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