UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has confirmed that its transition to a fully digital immigration status system will reach completion at 09:00 (UK time) on Wednesday, 25 February 2026. From that point forward, all new visa applications, including entry clearance applications submitted overseas, will result in the issuance of an electronic visa (e-visa) rather than a physical visa vignette.
The announcement marks the final phase of a multi-year digital transformation programme designed to modernise the UK’s immigration infrastructure. Under the new framework, successful applicants will receive confirmation of their immigration status exclusively in digital form. Physical visa stickers placed inside passports will, in most cases, no longer be issued.
The change applies strictly to applications submitted from 09:00 on 25 February 2026 onwards. Applications lodged before that time, but still awaiting a decision, will continue to be processed under transitional arrangements. In those cases, applicants will receive both a passport vignette and a corresponding e-visa record, ensuring continuity during the system’s final migration stage.
For the majority of visa categories, including visit, work, study, family and settlement routes, successful applicants submitting on or after the implementation date will need to access their immigration permission through their UKVI online account. Once a decision has been made, applicants will be notified of the outcome and provided with instructions on how to view and evidence their digital status. In limited circumstances, individuals will be informed if any physical documentation is to be issued.
This development builds on earlier phases of the rollout. From 15 July 2025, e-visas replaced visa stickers for main applicants under work and study routes. A further expansion took effect on 30 October 2025, extending digital status to main applicants and dependents across work, study and family routes, as well as to individuals applying for indefinite leave to enter (settlement) on any route. The February 2026 implementation completes the transition across all remaining visa categories.
UKVI’s move to a fully digital model reflects a broader policy objective to enhance security, reduce the risk of document loss or fraud, and streamline status verification for carriers, employers and other third parties. For applicants, however, the shift places increased importance on maintaining access to their UKVI account and ensuring that personal details are accurate and up to date prior to travel.
As the UK’s immigration system enters this fully digital phase, applicants and sponsors alike will need to adapt to a framework in which immigration status exists solely online, marking a significant procedural evolution in how UK immigration permission is issued and evidenced.
If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please reach out to your Vialto contact or alternatively to one of the contacts below.
Lyudmyla Davies
Partner (Solicitor)
Ian Robinson
Partner
Awale Olad
Senior Manager
Kate Gamester
Manager (Solicitor)
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