UK launches e-visa system for Pakistani students, workers
British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott. Photo : Facebook/UK in Pakistan
The United Kingdom has introduced an electronic visa (e-visa) system for Pakistani applicants, the British High Commission in Islamabad announced. Applicants will now complete visa applications online, and physical visa stickers will no longer be placed in passports, the High Commissioner said.
UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott confirmed the launch of the e-visa system, describing it as a “simpler and safer” way for students and workers to obtain UK visas.
Starting July 15, physical visa stickers will no longer be required in passports for the majority of main applicants travelling to the UK for study or work purposes. The UK government will replace physical immigration documents with a digital proof of immigration status, known as an e-visa.
From today, visitors to the UK will get eVisas AND you get to keep your passport while you wait! Simply create your @UKVIgovuk account, apply as normal, and we'll email it to you. Happy travels! pic.twitter.com/M45hOqr3c8
An e-visa serves as an online record of a person’s immigration permission in the UK, including any applicable conditions. Applicants can access and manage their status through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account.
According to the British High Commission, the transition to digital documentation will simplify identity and visa verification while allowing applicants to keep their passports during the application process.
“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,” Marriott added.
The digital transition does not affect the immigration status or rights of any individual, and holders of existing visa stickers do not need to take any action.