Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), vignette stickers in
passports or ‘wet ink stamps' are among some of the physical
documents that will no longer needed. If you are granted a visa
to stay in the UK for longer than 6 months – for example to work
or study – you will now need to create a UKVI online account to
access your eVisa. The account acts as an online record of your
immigration status. For those granted a visa to stay in the UK
for less than 6 months, for example as a tourist, you do not need
to create a UKVI account.
High Commissioner Jane Marriott CMB OBE said:
“We are constantly innovating to make it easier for Pakistanis to
travel to the UK. This new use of technology will streamline a
key part of the visa process, make it more secure and reduce the
dependence on paper documents.”
The process is free, secure, and straightforward. You can find
out more, including how to create an account, on our website:
gov.uk/eVisa. You must not travel to the UK until you have
received your passport and valid UK visa back from the Visa
Application Centre (VAC). Updating a physical document to an
eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions
of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
Upon arrival in the UK you will still be required to collect a
BRP. All BRP cards are valid until 31 December 2024, but the
expiry of your BRP card does not affect your immigration status.
You can use your BRP card to create your UKVI account and access
your eVisa. You should continue to carry your BRP until it
expires, and take your BRP and your passport when travelling
overseas to prove your permission to return to the UK.
For more information, visit: Online immigration status
(eVisa) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
