ENGLAND! RELEASE 2026 Permanent Visa Sticker Transition to eVisa System

The UK has started a major step towards a fully digital immigration system. Since January 12, 2026, the UK Immigration Service (UKVI) has begun the process of transitioning from the use of Vignette stickers to eVisa, which will result in, within this year, that traditional visa stickers will be permanently phased out for all types of applicants.

What visa applicants need to know from January 12, 2026 onwards

During this transitional period, UKVI's system will be implemented divided into 2 main patterns, so that the journey will remain smooth:

New Visa Approved Persons: Most (including tourist visas and some other categories) are notified that they have both a visa sticker in their passport and information in the eVisa system.

Digital Data Recording: Your identity and immigration rights information is saved on an online system, where it can be instantly monitored and shared without relying on paper.

For holders of original visa stickers (issued before 12 Jan 2026)

If you have an unexpired British visa and a sticker issued before January 12, you don't need to worry because most of your information has been digitally linked. You can:

System Access: Check Visa Information through UKVI Account

Verify: See details of length of stay and conditions through the online system.

Get Ready: It is recommended to create a UKVI account in advance for the convenience of your next trip.

Read more: https://www.gov.uk/evisa/set-up-ukvi-account

Key Schedule: When the sticker will disappear permanently

UKVI has clearly laid out a roadmap that by 2026 this will be the last year that visa stickers will be issued:

Late 2026: UKVI will stop issuing visa stickers altogether

After that: All approved applicants will receive only the eVisa, which will be tied directly to the passport number, and no longer stamp or affix any documents to the passport volume.

A summary of what to practice for Thai travelers

What to do

There's already a visa sticker.

* Check the UKVI account if you have access to eVisa.

Going to apply for a new visa

* Follow up the email. This indicates how to access eVisa.

Those who do not need it yet

* Check the exclusion conditions on the website GOV.UK (for example, those using ETA).

Step into the Digital Border era.

Switching to eVisa does not change your entry rights, but it makes it faster and safer to prove status with airlines or employers in England because the information will not be lost or falsified like traditional stickers. However, you still need to carry a real passport bound to your UKVI account on every trip so that the immigration system can scan the information automatically.

Source: UK Government website ()