UK ditches physical visa stickers for Pakistani students and workers in favour of a digital-only system

The UK Government has scrapped physical visa stickers for most Pakistani nationals arriving to study or work, replacing them with a fully digital immigration record called an eVisa. The move, which took effect from 15 July 2025, marks a significant shift in Britain’s immigration system, placing applicants squarely into a digital-first framework.

Under the new rules, main applicants travelling to the UK on study or work-related routes will no longer receive a sticker in their passports. Instead, their permission to enter, stay, and work in Britain will be recorded online via a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.

The change impacts a wide range of visa categories. These include students—whether on long-term or short 11-month study routes—as well as skilled workers, international sportspeople, participants in the Youth Mobility Scheme, and those under the Global Talent or Temporary Work programmes. Business-related visas under the Global Business Mobility umbrella—such as Graduate Trainees, Service Suppliers, and Expansion Workers—are also covered.

According to the British High Commission in Islamabad, the transition to eVisas will streamline the immigration process and improve security. Speaking on the shift, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott CMG OBE 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.”

But behind the simplification lies a deeper transformation in how immigration status is managed and monitored. The eVisa, essentially a digital file tied to a UKVI account, logs a person’s right to be in the UK along with any applicable restrictions. Users must log in online to access or share their visa details—whether for a job application or to rent a flat in England.

Once the eVisa is linked to a travel document like a passport, the traveller can move more easily through borders. The UKVI’s “view and prove” service allows users to show their legal status to employers, landlords, and other authorities through secure digital access.

However, not everyone is moving to the new system just yet. Dependants of visa holders, tourists, and other general visitor applicants will still receive traditional physical visa stickers for now. Moreover, anyone currently holding a valid sticker doesn’t need to take immediate action—the system won’t retroactively nullify those visas.

Officials say the rollout will eventually extend to all UK visa routes. The goal, they claim, is a fully digital, secure, and modern immigration service that minimises fraud, paperwork, and waiting times.

Millions of migrants already use eVisas in select routes globally, and British authorities insist the technology is “tried and tested.” But privacy advocates and immigration watchdogs may raise fresh concerns over how digital surveillance intersects with personal freedom and access.

While the system promises convenience, it also demands tech-savviness. Applicants now must manage immigration through online accounts—a potential hurdle for those with limited internet access or digital literacy. And as eVisas become the new norm, the human element of immigration—an official’s stamp, a physical check, a conversation at a border—is quietly fading away.

For many Pakistanis planning to start a new life or academic journey in the UK, the digital shift is immediate and unavoidable. Britain’s message is clear: welcome—but only if your presence can be logged, stored, and verified online.