UK digital visas 2025: No more BRPs or passport stamps. Register your UKVI account for secure eVisa access & easy status checks. Guide here!
The United Kingdom (UK) is making a significant leap towards a fully digital immigration system. By June 2025, all physical visa documents will be replaced with electronic visas (eVisas). This transition, led by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), aims to streamline processes, enhance security, and reduce reliance on physical documents. The new UK digital visa system 2025 update will eliminate Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs), passport endorsements, and vignette stickers in favor of a secure online platform.
What is an eVisa?
A UK eVisa is a secure digital record that confirms an individual’s UK immigration status and stay conditions. Unlike traditional documents, eVisas are tamper-proof, loss-proof, and theft-proof.
With a UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account, visa holders can easily check UK visa application status online and prove their immigration status at borders, to employers, landlords, and other authorities. Millions of individuals, including those under the European Union (EU) Settlement Scheme, have already made the switch since 2018. Now, the UK eVisa application process is being extended to all visa holders, making the system fully digital.
What’s Next for Physical Documents?
As the UK transitions to digital visas, here’s what will happen to existing documents:
- Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs): These will remain valid until expiry, but no new ones will be issued after October 31, 2024.
- Vignette Stickers and Passport Stamps: If you have a visa vignette or an indefinite leave endorsement in your passport, you’ll need to switch to a UK eVisa.
- Windrush Scheme Beneficiaries: Eligible individuals will have the opportunity to apply for digital evidence of their immigration status.
How Will the eVisa System Work?
To access their immigration status, visa holders must register a UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account. This online portal provides several convenient features:
- UK eVisa at your fingertips: View visa type, expiration date, and stay conditions in one place.
- Easy status sharing: Generate a UKVI share code (valid for 90 days) to quickly prove immigration status to employers, landlords, or border officials.
- Updating passport details in UKVI account: Easily update passport information online to ensure hassle-free travel.
The UK digital visa system 2025 update is designed to be user-friendly, secure, and efficient, simplifying immigration status management.
Why is the UK Replacing Physical Visa Documents?
The move to UK eVisas is driven by several factors, including security, convenience, and efficiency. Some of the key benefits include:
- Eliminating the risk of loss or theft: No more misplaced BRPs (Biometric Residence Permits) or expired vignette stickers.
- Faster processing: Avoid waiting for or collecting physical documents.
- Seamless verification: Check UK visa application status online and use UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) share codes for instant verification.
- Border efficiency: Faster immigration status verification at UK entry points.
Who Needs to Take Action?
The shift to eVisas in the UK affects various groups, including:
- Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) and Biometric Residence Card (BRC) holders: Must switch from BRP to UK eVisa and update details in their UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account.
- Individuals with passport endorsements: Those with Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE) or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in a passport must apply for a UK eVisa.
- European Union (EU) Settlement Scheme residents: If your BRC (Biometric Residence Card) expires on or after December 31, 2024, carry it while traveling until June 1, 2025, during the transition to a UK eVisa.
- New visa applicants: Going forward, all UK visa applications will result in an eVisa instead of physical documents.
Need Help with the Transition?
If you’re not tech-savvy or have limited internet access, UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) offers extra support to help you:
- Set up your UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account
- Access and manage your UK eVisa
Visit www.gov.uk/guidance/online-immigration-status-evisa for guidance. Vulnerable individuals will receive personalized support to ensure a smooth transition.
Final Thoughts
The UK eVisa system represents a major step forward in modernizing immigration services. By transitioning to a digital visa system, the UK aims to enhance security, improve border efficiency, and make it easier for visa holders to verify their immigration status. Ensure you take the necessary steps for a smooth transition to the UK’s fully digital visa system.
