LONDON, England – UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital immigration system. This means we are replacing physical documents with a digital record of your identity and immigration status.
This is known as an eVisa. We are doing this in a phased approach to manage the transition. Find out more about eVisas and how to use them.
Since 2018, millions of people have received an eVisa. We regularly publish statistics on the number of accounts created.
Updating your existing physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
The benefits of an eVisa include:
- They are secure and cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with, unlike a physical document
- You will not need to wait for, or collect, a physical document after your application is decided – you might still need to provide biometric information in person, and we will tell you if you need to do this
- It will be quicker and easier to prove your status at the UK border, and share your status with third parties like employers and landlords
We’ll continue to share relevant information about your immigration status automatically with some government departments and other public authorities, if they request it, which will mean you don’t have to.