The Home Office has set the final date for one of the biggest operational changes to the UK visa system since biometrics were introduced two decades ago. In a notice issued on 14 February, officials said that from 25 February 2026 anyone who needs a visitor visa will receive only a digital visa, or eVisa, linked to a UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) online account. Paper vignettes, biometric-residence-permit stickers and wet-ink passport stamps will disappear for this cohort overnight.
The move is part of the wider digital-border programme that is already replacing physical BRP cards for resident migrants and rolling out Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visa-exempt travellers. Unlike the ETA, the eVisa tells carriers and border officers that the holder has entry clearance, permission to work or study and any conditions attached to their stay. Airlines, ferry operators and the rail industry have spent the past year upgrading departure-control systems to interface with the government’s new Carrier Check API so that an eVisa can be validated in real time at check-in.
Travellers and employers looking for practical assistance as these changes take effect can tap into VisaHQ’s end-to-end support service. Through its dedicated UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), VisaHQ offers guidance on setting up UKVI accounts, checking documents, linking passports and generating share codes, helping to minimise the risk of last-minute travel disruptions.
![UK confirms full switch to eVisas for all visitor-visa nationals from 25 February 2026]()
For employers and global mobility teams the change removes the risk of a visa sticker expiring mid-assignment but introduces new compliance tasks. HR departments will need to audit frequent travellers to ensure they have created UKVI accounts, uploaded up-to-date passport details and can generate share codes for right-to-work checks. Carriers will refuse boarding to anyone whose passport is not digitally linked – a message UKVI has started sending by SMS and email to existing visa holders.
Migration lawyers are urging companies to update travel policies quickly. “The biggest practical pitfall we are seeing is dual-national employees who travel on a non-British passport and assume the visa is still visible to an airline,” says Zubair Khan, partner at Fragomen in London. He recommends adding a pre-trip checklist that includes logging into the UKVI account at least 48 hours before departure.
UKVI emphasises that the change will enhance security and reduce fraud, citing the success of digital status under the EU Settlement Scheme. However, data-privacy groups want clearer redress mechanisms if passengers are wrongly denied boarding. Business travellers should therefore carry evidence of their approved application (decision email or share-code screenshot) for the first few months after the switch in case airline staff need reassurance during system bedding-in.
The move is part of the wider digital-border programme that is already replacing physical BRP cards for resident migrants and rolling out Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visa-exempt travellers. Unlike the ETA, the eVisa tells carriers and border officers that the holder has entry clearance, permission to work or study and any conditions attached to their stay. Airlines, ferry operators and the rail industry have spent the past year upgrading departure-control systems to interface with the government’s new Carrier Check API so that an eVisa can be validated in real time at check-in.
Travellers and employers looking for practical assistance as these changes take effect can tap into VisaHQ’s end-to-end support service. Through its dedicated UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), VisaHQ offers guidance on setting up UKVI accounts, checking documents, linking passports and generating share codes, helping to minimise the risk of last-minute travel disruptions.
For employers and global mobility teams the change removes the risk of a visa sticker expiring mid-assignment but introduces new compliance tasks. HR departments will need to audit frequent travellers to ensure they have created UKVI accounts, uploaded up-to-date passport details and can generate share codes for right-to-work checks. Carriers will refuse boarding to anyone whose passport is not digitally linked – a message UKVI has started sending by SMS and email to existing visa holders.
Migration lawyers are urging companies to update travel policies quickly. “The biggest practical pitfall we are seeing is dual-national employees who travel on a non-British passport and assume the visa is still visible to an airline,” says Zubair Khan, partner at Fragomen in London. He recommends adding a pre-trip checklist that includes logging into the UKVI account at least 48 hours before departure.
UKVI emphasises that the change will enhance security and reduce fraud, citing the success of digital status under the EU Settlement Scheme. However, data-privacy groups want clearer redress mechanisms if passengers are wrongly denied boarding. Business travellers should therefore carry evidence of their approved application (decision email or share-code screenshot) for the first few months after the switch in case airline staff need reassurance during system bedding-in.
