The Home Office has confirmed that, from 25 February 2026, every new UK immigration permission will be issued as a purely digital e-Visa. Visa vignettes, Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs) and ink entry stamps will disappear from UK travel documents.
The change is the culmination of a multi-year ‘digital border’ programme that already saw the mass expiry of BRP cards in December 2024 and pilots of electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) for non-visa nationals. From next week, successful applicants will receive an email directing them to create or log into a UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) account. Their immigration status will be tied to their passport, and airlines will verify permission to travel via the Advance Passenger Information (API) feed before boarding.
For travellers and HR managers who want extra support navigating these new digital requirements, VisaHQ’s online platform can manage the entire e-Visa process—from checking document readiness to synchronising passport updates with the UKVI system. You can start the process or get tailored advice at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
![UK sets 25 February switchover to 100 % e-Visas, ending physical visa stickers]()
For employers and landlords, the digital move brings the end of physical right-to-work or right-to-rent checks. Instead, migrants will generate a share-code to evidence status. UKVI insists this should speed onboarding and reduce document fraud, although HR teams will need to update onboarding processes immediately.
The government argues the reform will cut administrative costs and reduce the risk of document loss, while business travel advocates welcome faster airside flow. However, law firms warn that passengers whose passport details in the UKVI account do not match their travel passport risk being denied boarding. Companies are being urged to audit expatriate passport renewals well before travel.
Longer-term, e-Visas will feed into the planned Single Trade Window and carrier API systems, enabling fully automated arrivals gates. The shift also aligns the UK with Australia, the US and Gulf states, which already issue electronic travel permissions exclusively.
The change is the culmination of a multi-year ‘digital border’ programme that already saw the mass expiry of BRP cards in December 2024 and pilots of electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) for non-visa nationals. From next week, successful applicants will receive an email directing them to create or log into a UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) account. Their immigration status will be tied to their passport, and airlines will verify permission to travel via the Advance Passenger Information (API) feed before boarding.
For travellers and HR managers who want extra support navigating these new digital requirements, VisaHQ’s online platform can manage the entire e-Visa process—from checking document readiness to synchronising passport updates with the UKVI system. You can start the process or get tailored advice at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
For employers and landlords, the digital move brings the end of physical right-to-work or right-to-rent checks. Instead, migrants will generate a share-code to evidence status. UKVI insists this should speed onboarding and reduce document fraud, although HR teams will need to update onboarding processes immediately.
The government argues the reform will cut administrative costs and reduce the risk of document loss, while business travel advocates welcome faster airside flow. However, law firms warn that passengers whose passport details in the UKVI account do not match their travel passport risk being denied boarding. Companies are being urged to audit expatriate passport renewals well before travel.
Longer-term, e-Visas will feed into the planned Single Trade Window and carrier API systems, enabling fully automated arrivals gates. The shift also aligns the UK with Australia, the US and Gulf states, which already issue electronic travel permissions exclusively.
