No More Passport Stickers: UK Moves Nigerians to eVisas From Feb 25

By: Oluwaseun Lawal

That familiar visa sticker on your passport? It’s about to disappear.

From February 25, 2026, Nigerians applying for UK visit visas will no longer receive the physical vignette pasted inside their passports. Instead, the United Kingdom will issue electronic visas — eVisas — as part of its shift toward a fully digital border system.

In a statement, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) said the process of applying does not change. Applicants will still complete their forms, book appointments at Visa Application Centres, submit biometrics, and meet all existing requirements. What changes is how the visa is issued.

Successful applicants will now receive a digital record of their immigration status, accessible through their UKVI online accounts. No sticker. No waiting for passports to return with a page stamped.

For Nigerians who already hold valid vignette visas, there is no immediate action required. Those physical visas remain valid until they expire or are replaced.

According to UK authorities, the move offers practical benefits. Passports can be returned faster. Immigration status can be checked or managed online at any time. And because the visa exists digitally, it cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with — at least, that’s the idea.

British Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja, Gill Lever, described the transition as a step that will simplify travel procedures for Nigerians. She said the digital system is designed to streamline processing, strengthen security, and reduce reliance on paper documentation, while maintaining the UK’s openness to visitors, students and workers from Nigeria.

Applicants are advised to create a free UKVI account once their visa is approved so they can access their eVisa. Everything, it seems, is moving online.

The border is still there. Just less ink, more data.