The UK has launched new eVisas for Pakistani students and workers in place of traditional physical immigration documents.
From 15 July, most “main” applicants travelling to the UK on study or work-related visas will no longer need a physical sticker visa in their passports.
Digital proof of immigration status will now be shown using an eVisa – an online record of a person’s immigration status in a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.
Travel documents such as a passport can then be linked to a UKVI account for international travel and to prove immigration status to potential employers or landlords.
“Main” applicants eligible for eVisas include students, global business mobility routes, global talent, international sportspeople, skilled workers such as those in healthcare, charity workers on temporary work routes or those partaking in youth mobility schemes.
According to a statement from the British High Commission (BHC) in Islamabad, applicants applying as a dependant, or as a main applicant for visas other than study or work, will still need a physical sticker visa to travel to the UK.
They added that the new digital immigration system will make the visa process “easier, more secure, digital and streamlined” for Pakistanis.
Changing to an eVisa will not affect anyone’s immigration status or the conditions of their entry into the UK.
Travellers with existing physical visa stickers that are still in date also “do not need to take any action”.
The BHC in Islamabad said it plans to eventually roll out eVisas to the UK on all visa routes.
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.”
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
