Since 1 July 2026, the Home Office stopped issuing physical visa stickers to successful applicants granted entry clearance, including sponsored workers. They now receive an eVisa instead.

Proof of immigration status is now normally provided through an eVisa linked to a UKVI account, rather than a sticker in your passport. A small number of exceptions exist. For example, someone without a Home Office-accepted passport may get an eVisa plus an accompanying form. Your ability to prove your right to work, rent, or travel now increasingly depends on that UKVI account being accurate, current, and accessible. GOV.UK is explicit that eVisas are how you prove status to employers and landlords, and that your travel document details need to stay linked for travel. If you already hold a valid vignette from before July, you can keep using it until it expires. Your status is increasingly represented by your eVisa rather than the sticker itself.

If you're newly sponsored, the immediate task is practical. Set up your UKVI account and link your travel documents. Separately, the government's proposed earned-settlement reforms are still being developed. They would generally move the baseline from five to ten years. The consultation has closed and responses are under review, but these are not yet the rules governing your settlement application.