The UK government on Tuesday launched e-visas for Pakistani scholars and workers, as part of a revamped border and immigration system.
The advertisement came a day after the two countries formally inked a Trade Dialogue Medium Agreement and agreed to set up a UK- Pakistan Business Advisory Council to institutionalise bilateral profitable cooperation.
The British High Commission( BHC) in Islamabad said in a statement that the UK government is introducing digital immigration status, ore-visas, in place of physical immigration documents for utmost pupil and worker visas.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said on social media platform ‘ X’ that the installation is for utmost scholars and workers who are applying for a period of further than 6 months.
The High Commission explained that ane-visa is actually an online record of an existent’s immigration authorization in the UK, which makes the visa process easier and further secure.
It was further stated that thee-visa is a tried and tested system, which is formerly being used by millions of people on specific immigration routes.
scholars and workers who intend to stay in the UK for further than 6 months will be eligible to apply for ane-visa, with the British government planning to extend the scheme to all visa operations.
In 2024, the British government blazoned that the country’s immigration system would be moving to a completely digital format, with an online immigration system replacing physical documents.
The British High Commission has clarified the eligibility for thee-visa, stating that scholars, including scholars on short- term studies of over to 11 months, global elderly or professed workers, graduate trainees, UK extension workers, service suppliers, reproach workers, global gift, transnational sportspersons, professed workers( including health and care workers), charity workers, creative workers, government authorised exchange, transnational agreements, religious workers, youth mobility scheme workers will be eligible for thee-visa.
People applying as a dependant or for a visa other than study or work, similar as a general caller visa, will still need a physical visa.
People who formerly have a physical visa do n’t need to take any way.
Jane Marriott explained that these changes will make the visa process easier for scholars and workers.
He added that this also means that aspirants can keep their passports with them, which will save time.
He also explained that switching from a physical visa to ane-visa wo n’t affect a person’s current immigration status.
Holders can link their trip documents( similar as passports) to their UKVI( UK Visas and Immigration) account to make transnational trip easier.
A UKVI account,( introduced in 2024) is an online record, which is needed for visa holders who are staying in the UK for further than 6 months.
