There will no longer be a physical visa sticker (vignette) in the passports of Nigerians applying for work or study visas to the UK. Those who are accepted will instead receive a digital eVisa, which is a safe online record of their immigration status.
Only applications for work or study visas filed on or after July 15, 2025, will be subject to this new system. Individuals who apply before that date will continue to receive the conventional vignette sticker and proceed with the current procedure, which includes submitting their passport at the Visa Application Centre (VAC). For the time being, visit visa applications will still be marked with the visa vignette sticker.
The UK government’s shift to a contemporary, digital immigration system has advanced significantly with this modification. All applicants must still go to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to submit their biometric data as part of the visa processing process, even though the vignette for work or study visas has been removed.
Applicants will receive an email from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) with the outcome of their visa application decision and instructions on how to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
According to Gill Lever OBE, the British High Commission’s Chargé d’Affaires in Abuja: “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.
“However, if you’re applying as a dependant, like a spouse or child, of someone who is studying or working in the UK or if you are applying for a visitor visa, you’ll still receive a visa vignette sticker in your passport for the time being.”
Continuing, for Nigerians who have been granted leave for more than six months, Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) have already been replaced by UK eVisas. Clients who have a UKVI account can safely disclose their immigration status to employers or landlords (in England) by using the View and Prove service.
BrandSpur national news desk reports that the following is what Candidates must do to acquire the eVisa
- Apply online and send your application via gov.uk, the official website.
- To turn in your passport and biometric data, go to a Visa Application Centre (VAC).
- If a visa vignette sticker is not needed for your visa, you can bring your passport home that same day.
- Observe the guidelines in your decision notification once your visa has been approved.
- Make a UKVI account and link it to your current passport if instructed.
