UK has launched a new eVisa system for biometric applicants, streamlining the visa application process and reducing the need for physical documents.
This digital innovation has been designed to make it easier for people from all over the world, including Pakistani travelers, to visit the UK, particularly for those seeking long-term visas.
The introduction of eVisas eliminates the need for traditional physical documents like Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), vignette stickers in passports, and ‘wet ink stamps.’
Applicants granted visas for stays longer than six months — such as for work or study — will now be required to create a UKVI online account, which will serve as an online record of their immigration status. This new system is part of the UK’s efforts to modernize its visa process, making it more secure and efficient. However, short-term visitors to the UK, such as tourists staying for less than six months, do not need to create a UKVI account.
UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott CMB OBE highlighted the benefits of this new system saying: “We are constantly innovating to make it easier for Pakistanis to travel to the UK. This new use of technology will streamline a key part of the visa process, make it more secure and reduce the dependence on paper documents.”
What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. To access your eVisa, you must create a UKVI account. Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
In the future, travelers will be able to use an eVisa to enter the UK without carrying a physical document, except for a current passport registered to their UKVI account. However, until the end of 2024, travelers will need to continue carrying any existing physical documents when traveling.
Benefits of eVisas:
- They are secure and cannot be lost, stolen, or tampered with, unlike physical documents.
- There is no need to wait for or collect a physical document after your application is approved, although biometric information may still be required in person.
- It will be quicker and easier to prove your status at the UK border and share your status with third parties like employers and landlords.
The eVisa process is secure, free of charge, and user-friendly. More information on how to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa can be found on the official UK government website. It’s important to note that travelers must wait to receive their passport and valid UK visa from the Visa Application Centre (VAC) before traveling.
Upon arrival in the UK, travelers will still need to collect a BRP, with all BRP cards remaining valid until December 31, 2024. While the expiration of a BRP card does not impact immigration status, travelers should continue to carry their BRP and passport when traveling to prove their permission to return to the UK. The BRP card can also be used to create the UKVI account and access the eVisa.
This new eVisa initiative marks a significant step toward modernizing and simplifying the visa process for travelers worldwide, reflecting the UK’s ongoing efforts to enhance the security and efficiency of its immigration system.