1.6 Receive your UK visa

1.6 UK Visa

Will I receive an entry clearance vignette?

From 15th July 2025, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will no longer be issuing entry clearance vignettes to student visa applicants who have been granted entry clearance to the UK for programmes of more than 6 months.

This means that if your student visa application was submitted on or after the 15th July 2025, and your programme is for more than 6 months, you will no longer receive a yellow entry clearance vignette sticker in your passport. You will not need to leave your passport at the visa application centre to be endorsed with a vignette.

If you are studying a programme of 6 months or less, your passport will still be endorsed with an entry clearance vignette, unless instructed to do so.

If you are bringing dependants to the UK with you, they will continue to receive an entry clearance vignette in their passports until further notice.

What is an eVisa?

When you receive notification that your student visa application has been successful, you will receive an e-mail from UKVI which will give details of your visa and what you should do next. You must read the e-mail very carefully and check that the validity dates of your visa are correct.

You must then follow the instructions to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa. Your eVisa is your immigration permission for the UK.

How can I access my eVisa?

To access your eVisa, you will need to create a UKVI account. You will need the following: 

Your visa application number (also known as a GWF or UAN number).
Passport
Email address and mobile phone number (this does not need to be a UK mobile number, but you must be able to receive messages from the UKVI using this number) 
Access to a smart phone (if you do not have a smart phone, you can use a friend/family member’s phone) 
Access to the ID check app.

If you cannot access to the ID check app, please refer to the guidance on how to use the Web ID check

For step-by-step guidance to creating a UKVI account and accessing your eVisa, please watch the following UKVI video

What should I do before I travel to the UK?

You must set up a UKVI account and link your UKVI account to your passport before you travel. You must then travel on the passport that you have linked to your UKVI account. You can link more than one passport to your UKVI account if you have more than one nationality.

We recommend you do the following before you travel to the UK:

Print out and carry with you your decision letter provided to you when you received your decision from UKVI (check your junk/spam folders for this if you don’t remember receiving this)
Check your eVisa thoroughly before travelling to the UK and seek to address any errors before travelling
Get a share code prepared before you travel – it is possible you will be asked for this by your carrier or a Border Force officer

When can I travel to the UK?

You should only travel and enter the UK after the start date shown on your eVisa.

If you travel before the start date of your visa, you may not be allowed entry to the UK.

If you managed to travel to the UK before the start date of your visa, you may be granted entry as a visitor. This may affect your registration if you need a Student Visa to study on your course of study. You should contact the Newcastle University Visa Support Team for further advice.

What should I do if I cannot access my UKVI account or link my passport to my account?

If you experience any difficulty in linking your passport to your UKVI account, contact the UKVI Resolution Centre or UKVI web chat for assistance.

When you are ready to travel:

Check that you can access your eVisa and that the validity dates are correct.
Check that your passport and personal details on your eVisa are correct. You can update your details, if required.
Get a share code in case your airline or Border Force ask for one.
Check that the details that you have given your airline match the details on your eVisa.
If you cannot view your eVisa, make sure that you have fully completed the process of setting up your UKVI account.

What should I do when I arrive in the UK?

Make sure that you have a share code ready in case Border Force Officers need to access your student visa.
Ensure you complete the ISC Arrival Check Form and provide your full visa information, following all guidance carefully so as not to delay your registration. You will need to supply your Share Code in this form to us so we can access your eVisa directly, please do not supply copies of your eVisa that you have accessed yourself.
Please ensure when you supply your Boarding Pass or Flight Itinerary that this shows your travel from your home country to the UK, do not supply flight information for flights within the UK. It is vital that we have proof of the date you entered the UK.

Who should I contact for additional support?

If you are yet to arrive in the UK please contact your Agent, Sponsor or Regional Office Staff for support and guidance

If you have arrived in the UK please either report to INTO Reception between 9am and 4pm Monday – Friday or email isc.studentprogress@newcastle.ac.uk