The United Kingdom has announced a major change to its immigration process for Nigerian travellers, confirming that it will discontinue physical visa stickers and replace them entirely with digital eVisas from February 25, 2026.

The policy shift, disclosed in Abuja by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), means that all new UK Visit visas issued to Nigerian nationals will exist solely in electronic form.

The move is part of the UK government’s broader transition to a fully digital border and immigration management system.

Under the new system, successful applicants will no longer receive visa stickers in their passports.

Instead, their immigration status will be held digitally and accessed through a secure account with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), allowing travellers to view, manage, and share their visa details when required.
UKVI noted that the application process itself remains unchanged.

Applicants from Nigeria will still complete the online form, visit a Visa Application Centre to provide biometric data, and meet all existing eligibility and documentation requirements.

The only change is in how visas are issued and verified, with the process now set to become fully digital.
Authorities also stressed that Nigerians who currently hold valid physical visa stickers will not be affected by the transition. Existing visas will remain valid until their stated expiry dates and will not need to be replaced solely because of the eVisa rollout.

The February 2026 implementation builds on earlier reforms announced by the United Kingdom government.

As part of those changes, the British High Commission had previously disclosed that digital eVisas would be introduced for most Nigerian nationals applying for study or work visas from July 15, 2025, replacing physical visa vignettes with secure online records.