By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis, including those traveling for tourism, will now be able to enter the United Kingdom with electronic visas rather than physical stickers affixed to their passports, the British High Commission sad on Wednesday.
The development extends a digital visa system that the U.K. government first introduced for Pakistanis in July 2025. Until now, e-visas had been available only to those applying for study or work visas. Applicants seeking general visitor visas had still been required to obtain the traditional physical visa. In a statement released Wednesday, the high commission said visitors would continue to submit their applications online and attend a visa application center to provide biometrics. Successful applicants would receive a digital record of their immigration status, known as an e-visa, accessible through an online account with U.K. Visas and Immigration.
The new process means applicants no longer need to return to a visa application center a second time to collect their passports. Instead, they can hold on to their passports after completing the biometrics session, the commission said. It described the e-visa as a more secure way to manage immigration status and one that reduces the risk of lost or damaged documents. Successful applicants can generate a share code to prove their visa status at borders and elsewhere. There is no change to visa processing times, eligibility criteria or conditions, the statement said.
The high commission quoted British High Commissioner Jane Marriott calling the change “a hugely exciting step” for Pakistanis traveling to the United Kingdom. “As well as being able to save time by holding on to your passport, the new share code system makes it easier than ever to demonstrate your visa status,” she said.
In a separate video message posted on her account on the social media platform X on Wednesday, Marriott said that “nearly all visitors going to the UK can now use the new e-visa service when they travel.” She said that under the new system, travelers will be able to keep their passports with them, as they will not be required to hand them in after the biometrics appointment. “The major difference is that you get to keep your passport with you and you no longer need to visit a visa centre for a second time (to pick up your passport),” she added.
Marriott further said that “the process and application timelines have not changed.” The announcement is the latest step in a broader British effort to move its immigration system to a fully digital format. In 2024, the UK government announced plans to transition away from physical documents and replace them with an online immigration system.
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