Malawians applying for United Kingdom (UK) visitor visas will, from February 25 this year, receive electronic visas (eVisas) only, the British High Commission has announced.
British High Commissioner to Malawi Leigh Stubblefield said the move was part of reforms by the UK government aimed at improving the visa application experience and reducing enquiries.
Under the new arrangement, most visa-national visitors, including Malawians, will no longer have visas placed in their passports.
Instead, successful applicants will be issued with a digital eVisa linked to their immigration status.
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Stubblefield said applicants will be required to attend a Visa Application Centre (VAC) only once, purely to confirm their identity. During that appointment, passports will be returned immediately, eliminating the need for applicants to leave their travel documents with visa offices.
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She said once a visa application is approved, applicants will receive instructions by email to create an online UKVI account, through which they will be able to access and manage their eVisa.
“Before travelling, it will be necessary for all eVisa holders, including children, to have a UKVI account created in order to check their eVisa and update passport details,” Stubblefield said.
She added that where a travel document is correctly linked to a UKVI account, airlines and other carriers will be able to verify permission to travel automatically through checks with the UK Home Office, further simplifying travel procedures.
The High Commissioner said the introduction of eVisas represented a significant step towards a fully digital and more secure immigration system, while making the process more convenient for travellers from Malawi.
