The UK immigration system has gone fully digital from Wednesday, replacing physical visa stickers pasted in passports with electronic visas, known as eVisas.
However, applicants will still need to visit
a visa application centre (VAC) for biometric enrolment and identity verification. Their passports will be returned the same day.
Bhaarat Dave, deputy head of mission at the British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, said that with an eVisa, applicants have to attend the VAC only once to confirm their identity. The passport will be returned at that time, removing the need to collect it later after a vignette is pasted.
What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is a digital record of a person’s immigration status. It confirms the visa type, such as tourist, visitor, student or skilled worker, or settlement status. It also outlines conditions like permission to work or study.
The status can be accessed through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account and is digitally linked to the traveller’s passport.
Dave said UKVI is a self-verification account and every traveller in a family must have a separate UKVI account linked to their passport. The information can be stored on a mobile phone, but separate accounts are required for each traveller in a group.
Those who already have a valid sticker visa do not need to apply again for an eVisa. However, they must create a UKVI account and link it to their passport.
New visa system offers greater flexibility for travellers
Earlier, passports were retained during visa processing, which usually took around three weeks for a tourist visa. They were returned later with the vignette sticker.
Travel operators said the new system offers more flexibility. Anil Punjabi, chairman (east) of the Travel Agents Federation of India, described it as a big relief for those travelling onward to Europe or other destinations.
He said travellers can now retain their passports while applying for a UK eVisa and also apply for visas for other countries. Once the UK eVisa is approved, they can check their status online and enter the UK from any country.
A deputy high commission official said 5,55,468 visitor visas were issued to Indians from August 2024 to September 2025. In addition, 2,13,690 visas were granted across work, study and other categories.
