Table Of Contents:
- Your UK visa conditions
- Things to do after your UK visa is approved
- Check and verify the details of your UK visa
- Access your eVisa
- Gather and organize all the documents
- Organise your travel
- Upon Arrival in the UK
Once your UK visa application has been processed, you will get an email or a letter informing you that the Home Office has made its decision on it.
The decision may be that either you have been granted a UK visa or your UK visa application has been refused.
You will get to know in the decision letter or email what you need to do next.
You should check your spam or junk folder in case you have not received your email.
If your UK visa application is approved
You will get one of the following:
• An eVisa (this is a digital record of your identity and immigration status)
• an eVisa and a sticker in your passport (called a ‘vignette’) – the sticker will be for either 90 days or the full length of your stay
• a sticker in your passport (a vignette) for the full length of your stay
If you apply for a family, work, or study visa, or for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Enter) – also known as ‘settlement’, you may not obtain a vignette in your passport because vignettes (a sticker in your passport) are being replaced by eVisas.
The eVisa or vignette will show:
• what you have been granted (for example, a UK Skilled Worker visa)
• start and end date of your visa, or in other words, how long your visa is valid
• the conditions of your visa
Your UK visa conditions
The visa conditions tell what you are permitted and not permitted to do in the UK. For example, they might say:
• ‘No access to public funds’, which means you cannot claim benefits
• ‘No work’, which means you cannot take any paid or unpaid work in the UK• ‘Restricted work,’ which means you can only work for your job sponsor
Things to do after your UK visa is approved
Getting a UK visa is the key milestone in your immigration journey in the UK. However, after your visa has been approved by the Home Office, you have to take several important steps before travelling to the UK, as well as immediately after arrival. You should Check Your Visa Details Carefully, Receive Your eVisa Info, prepare your travel documents, and plan your travel to the UK.
Now, when you travel to the UK and have arrived here, you may have to present your eVisa and complete other essential tasks, such as opening a bank account, registering with a doctor, or obtaining a NI (National Insurance) Number if you plan to work.
1. Check and verify the details of your UK visa
After receiving your UK visa, you should verify that your name, passport number, and visa type are correct. You should check the validity dates of your visa (start and end dates) and note the visa conditions.
If there are any mistakes, you should report them to the UK visa office immediately.
2. Access your eVisa
eVisa has replaced BRPs (Biometric Residence Permits) that were earlier used to prove one’s immigration status. Those who were granted permission to live and/or work in the UK on or before 31 October 2024 might still have a BRP. If you have an expired BRP and still have permission to stay in the UK, you need to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa. You should keep your expired BRP as you might be able to use it for 18 months after the expiry date printed on it.
If you have been approved for a visa, you need to access your eVisa, which is a digital record of your identity and immigration status.
3. Gather and organize all the documents
Before you travel to the UK, you should make sure that your passport details in your UKVI account are correct. If you renew or get a new passport, you must update your UKVI account with the new information and bring a printout of your decision letter, just in case.
You should have a passport with a sticker (( visa vignette) in it – the same passport you used in your UK visa application, your visa approval email or letter, your eVisa to show your immigration status, flight tickets, accommodation details (e.g., hotel booking, tenancy agreement, or invitation letter), financial proof if needed (e.g., bank statements), and other supporting documents as applicable, for example a CAS letter (for Student visa), a job offer letter (for Skilled Worker visa), a marriage certificate (for Spouse visa), or a return or onward journey ticket (for Visitor visa).
4. Organise your travel
Once your UK visa is granted, arrange your flights and make sure you plan to reach the UK within the permitted entry period. You should keep printed/digital copies of all important documents in your hand luggage for your convenience.
If you have been issued a vignette (visa sticker) in your passport, you must travel within its 90-day validity period, beginning from the “valid from” date shown on the sticker. Entry to the UK is not allowed before this date.
For work or study visas, you should travel soon after your visa becomes valid and before the course or job start date listed on your CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) provided by your sponsor.
Upon Arrival in the UK
Once you enter the UK after your UK visa is approved, you will need to go through Border Control. At the airport, you may use the eGates (if eligible by nationality) or speak to a UK Border Force officer. If you speak to an officer, they may stamp your passport.
You should be prepared to answer routine immigration questions such as what is the purpose of your visit (work, study, joining family), how long you will stay, where you will live in the UK, and who is your sponsor (in case of a student or skilled worker visa), etc.
Depending on the length of your stay, you should apply for a NI (National Insurance) Number (if working), open a bank account, register with a GP (doctor) if staying long-term, and familiarize yourself with local transport and essentials.
You must keep track of your UK visa. For example, monitoring the expiry date, applying for a change/extension, or switching to another visa well before your current visa’s expiry, if needed.