Travel News

BY Ojochenemi Onje 

The United Kingdom has announced that from July 15, 2025, most Nigerians applying for study or work visas will receive electronic visas (eVisas) instead of the traditional physical visa vignette stickers.

This development, according to the British High Commission in Abuja, is part of the UK Government’s wider transition to a fully digital immigration process designed to make international travel more efficient, secure, and user-friendly.

Under the new system, successful applicants will be issued a digital eVisa, a secure, online record of their immigration status, rather than having a visa label pasted in their passport.

According to the Commission, the change applies specifically to study and work visa applications submitted on or after July 15.

It noted that individuals who submit their applications before that date will still undergo the existing process, which includes submitting their passport at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) and receiving a vignette.

“Similarly, applicants travelling as dependants, such as spouses or children, as well as those applying for standard visitor visas, will continue to receive visa vignette stickers in their passports for the time being.

“Despite the removal of the physical visa for most categories, all applicants are still required to attend a VAC to provide biometric information, including fingerprints and photographs, as part of the application procedure. Once a decision is reached, successful applicants will receive an email from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) informing them of the outcome and guiding them to create a UKVI account through which they can access and manage their eVisa”, the Commission stated.

Speaking on the launch of the digital visa process, Gill Lever OBE, Chargé d’Affaires at the British High Commission in Abuja, described the transition as a positive step for Nigerians wishing to travel to the UK.

“We’re making it easier and faster for Nigerians to travel to the UK. From 15 July 2025, most people applying for study or work visas will get a digital eVisa instead of a visa sticker in their passport.

“This is a further big step to a fully digital UK immigration system, making the process more secure, more efficient, and more convenient for students, professionals, and families”, She stated.

She also noted that the digital visa platform is already in use in some aspects of the UK immigration system. eVisas have replaced Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) for individuals granted permission to stay in the UK for over six months.

“Those with eVisas and UKVI accounts can use the “View and Prove” online service to securely share their immigration status with third parties, including landlords and employers in England.

“Applicants are expected to begin their application online via the official UK government website.

“They must still visit a VAC to submit biometric details, but if the visa being applied for falls under the new eVisa system, their passport will not be held and can be taken home the same day”, the Commission added.

It also mentioned that once a visa decision has been made, applicants will receive detailed instructions in their notification on how to create and use their UKVI account, which must be linked to their current passport.