Physical vignettes are gone from February 25. Here's what you need to do before you fly.

Quick practical update before your next trip.

From February 25, 2026, the UK ended physical visa stickers for most visa categories. If you apply for a UK visa from that date onward, you get an eVisa — a digital record linked to your passport, accessible through the UKVI online system. The airline checks your permission digitally before you board. No sticker. No paper.

Three things to do right now if you're travelling soon: check that your UKVI account email is current and accessible. Confirm your eVisa is linked to the exact passport you're travelling with. Don't wait until the night before your flight to discover either of those is wrong.

If you already have a physical sticker in your passport from a previous application, it stays valid until its expiry date. This change only affects new applications from February 25 onward.

Log into your UKVI account today.