TL;DR: The Form for affixing a visa, a physical document used to issue visa vignettes in passports, was formally retired on 30 June 2026. From 1 July 2026, all new non-EEA status grants in the UK will be digital eVisas, with the Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV) becoming the official record.
A significant milestone in the UK’s immigration system was reached on 30 June 2026, marking the definitive end of an era. The Form for affixing a visa, a familiar part of the physical application process for decades, was officially retired and is no longer being issued by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). This pivotal change heralds the completion of the Home Office’s transition to a fully digital, online-by-default immigration and status system. The move replaces physical visa stickers, or vignettes, in passports with secure digital records known as eVisas. For any status granted from 1 July 2026, the official document of record is now the Form for accompanying an eVisa (FAV), signifying a fundamental shift in how immigration status is documented, verified, and managed. This report examines the implications of this final sunset for the physical form and what the new digital-first landscape entails for migrants, employers, and sponsors across the UK.
What is the Form for Affixing a Visa?
The Form for affixing a visa was the official UKVI document used as the authority to place a physical visa vignette into a successful applicant’s passport. It served as the crucial internal record and instruction for caseworkers, detailing the applicant’s personal information, the specific immigration category granted, and the validity dates of the permission. For migrants, the tangible output was the visa sticker itself, which they presented at the UK border as proof of their right to enter and reside. This form was a cornerstone of a paper-based system, representing the physical embodiment of a grant of leave. Its retirement signifies the closure of that analog chapter. According to the updated guidance, its final issuance date was 30 June 2026, after which the digital Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV) takes its place as the official grant documentation.
Why Has the Form for Affixing a Visa Been Phased Out?
The retirement of the Form for affixing a visa is not an isolated policy change but the culmination of a long-term digital transformation strategy by the Home Office. This shift is driven by several core objectives. Firstly, it aims to enhance security and reduce fraud; eVisas are harder to forge, lose, or tamper with compared to physical documents. Secondly, it streamlines administration for UKVI, reducing the costs and logistical complexities associated with printing, posting, and handling millions of physical documents annually. Thirdly, it provides greater convenience for migrants, who can now access and prove their status online at any time without needing to carry or present a physical passport in many non-travel scenarios. The transition aligns with global trends and the UK’s ambition to create a modern, efficient borders and immigration system. The published guidance explicitly notes the 30 June 2026 cut-off. From 1 July 2026, the system is fully digital, with the Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV) issued as the authoritative record for any new grant of permission.
What Replaces the Form for Affixing a Visa?
From 1 July 2026, the Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV) has become the standard document issued by UKVI following a successful application. The FAV serves a similar foundational purpose as its predecessor but for a digital status. It is the official confirmation of an eVisa grant, containing the essential details of the individual’s immigration permission. However, unlike the old form which led to a physical sticker, the FAV accompanies a purely digital record. Migrants access their eVisa through the UKVI online ‘View and Prove’ service, using a share code to grant time-limited access to employers, landlords, or other authorised parties for right-to-work and right-to-rent checks. The physical passport visa vignette is therefore obsolete for new grants. This change applies across almost all work, study, and family visa routes for non-EEA nationals. The Home Office states that this digital system is intended to be more secure, accessible, and resilient.
How Does This Final Transition Affect Existing Visa Holders?
A critical distinction must be made between new applications and existing status holders. The cessation of the Form for affixing a visa applies specifically to new grants of permission from the 1 July 2026 effective date. Individuals who already hold a physical Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or a visa vignette in their passport remain subject to the previous phase-out plans for those documents. Their existing physical documents remain valid until their expiry date. However, the long-term direction is clear: all physical immigration documents are being replaced by eVisas. Existing holders are expected to be moved onto the digital platform in managed phases, often linked to applying for further leave to remain or when their current permit expires. They will not receive a new Form for affixing a visa or a physical replacement; instead, they will obtain digital status and a relevant FAV. The updated guidance confirms that the old form was issued only up until the 30 June 2026 deadline, firmly closing that avenue for any future status grants.
Implications for Sponsors & Employers
The final shift from the Form for affixing a visa to a fully digital eVisa system carries significant operational implications for licensed sponsors and employers conducting right-to-work checks. Sponsors must ensure their HR and onboarding teams are fully conversant with the digital checking process, as they will no longer see physical visa vignettes for new hires granted status after July 2026. The responsibility falls on employers to use the Home Office online checking service with the candidate’s share code and date of birth. Maintaining robust and auditable records of these digital checks is a critical compliance requirement. Sponsors should also update their internal guidance and training materials to reflect that the Form for affixing a visa is a historical document and that the Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV) is now the standard. While the administrative burden of handling physical documents may reduce, the need for digital literacy and process adherence increases accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is my current visa sticker in my passport still valid after July 2026? A: Yes. If applicants hold a valid visa vignette or Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) issued before 1 July 2026, it remains valid until its printed expiry date. The change affects new grants from that date onwards. applicants will transition to an eVisa in the future, typically when applicants next apply to extend the applicant’s stay.
Q: What do I get now instead of a visa sticker in my passport? A: For successful applications made from 1 July 2026, applicants will receive a digital eVisa. applicants will be able to view this online and may receive a ‘Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV)’ as a formal notification. applicants prove the applicant’s status by generating a share code via the UKVI ‘View and Prove’ service.
Q: Do I need to carry a printed copy of the Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV)? A: Not typically. The FAV is an official document, but the primary proof of status is the digital eVisa accessed online. It is advisable to keep the FAV for the applicant’s records, but for right-to-work or right-to-rent checks, the online service with a share code is the prescribed method.
Q: How does this affect my travel to the UK? A: When travelling, applicants must still carry the passport applicants used in the applicant’s application. Border Force officers will be able to see the applicant’s digital status when they scan the applicant’s passport. applicants do not need a physical visa vignette to board travel or to present at the UK border if the applicant’s status was granted digitally.
Q: What happens if I lose access to my online eVisa account? A: applicants should consider contact the UKVI resolution centre to regain access. It is crucial to keep the applicant’s linked email address and security details up to date. This underscores the importance of the digital system and the need for individuals to manage their online credentials securely.
Key Takeaways
- The Form for affixing a visa was officially retired and its final issuance date was 30 June 2026.
- From 1 July 2026, all new grants of UK immigration status for non-EEA nationals are issued as digital eVisas.
- The replacement document is the Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV), which serves as the official record of a digital grant.
- Existing physical visas (vignettes and BRPs) remain valid until their expiry but will not be replaced with physical documents in the future.
- Employers and sponsors must use the online Home Office right-to-work checking service for individuals with digital status granted after July 2026.
Conclusion
The retirement of the Form for affixing a visa marks the final, definitive step in the UK’s journey towards a fully digital immigration system. This policy change, effective from 1 July 2026, closes the chapter on physical visa vignettes for new applications and fully embeds the Form for Accompanying an eVisa (FAV) as the standard. For migrants, it signifies a shift towards managing status through an online portal. For sponsors and employers, it reinforces the necessity of digital compliance checks. While existing document holders are unaffected for now, the direction of travel is unequivocally digital. This evolution aims to create a more secure, efficient, and modern framework for proving immigration status in the UK.