Big news for Indian holidaymakers, students, and business travelers: the UK has flipped the script on entry requirements. From Wednesday, e-visas are compulsory, replacing clunky paper alternatives in a full digital pivot.
The upgrade aims to supercharge security while simplifying life for visitors. Forget passport-bound stickers; hello, encrypted digital profiles in your UKVI account.
The process? Apply online, enroll biometrics at a center (passport stays with you), and voila—visa mastery at your fingertips. Track, update, and prove status effortlessly online.
Fraudsters beware: digital storage minimizes tampering risks. Physical vignette users aren’t left out—they’re valid till they lapse.
Critical warning: Without e-visa, ETA, or approved docs, airlines will block you at the gate. No exceptions.
This builds on last year’s e-visa rollout, now fully live. No more biometric cards, permits, or stamps issued. Holders of old docs convert automatically to e-status.
The ripple effect hits 85 visa-exempt countries too—think US citizens, Canadians, French nationals needing ETAs for UK trips.
In essence, the UK is future-proofing its immigration, blending tech innovation with traveler-friendly reforms to handle post-pandemic travel surges effectively.