UK Introduces eVisas for International Students and Foreign Workers

Starting July 15, 2025, the United Kingdom has made eVisas mandatory for international students and skilled workers. This means the visa application process is changing.

From this date, applicants for work or study visas will no longer receive a physical visa sticker (called a vignette) in their passport. Instead, they must create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access their eVisa before traveling to the UK.

One major benefit of this new system is that applicants can submit their biometrics and collect their passports on the same day. This eliminates the need to return to the Visa Application Centre multiple times, making the process faster and more convenient.

Who Needs a UKVI Account?
Anyone applying for a work or study visa from July 15, 2025, must create a UKVI account. This also applies to those who were issued a Form for Affixing a Visa (FAV) or who have extended their visa but do not have a valid identity document like a passport or biometric residence permit (BRP).

What About Dependants and Other Visa Types?
If you are applying as a dependant of a work or study visa holder, or if you are applying for other visa categories, you will still receive a physical vignette in your passport.

Phasing Out Physical Vignettes
The UK is gradually moving away from physical visa stickers. Instead, the eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status. All UK immigrants with biometric residence permits will need to use their UKVI account to access their eVisa.

Applicants will receive updates about their visa application, including the final decision, via email according to UKVI processing times.

July 28, 2025 6:25 p.m. 396

#trending #latest