From 19 March 2026, the UK has switched from physical passport vignettes to a fully digital record for individuals who are ‘exempt from immigration control’—including accredited diplomats, NATO personnel and some visiting military staff. The change, first trailed in February guidance, means carriers and Border Force officers will verify exemption status via the Visa, Status and Information Services (VSIS) platform rather than inspecting a sticker in the passport. Travellers who still hold a valid exempt vignette may continue to use it until expiry, but anyone applying on or after 19 March will receive only a digital status. The Home Office warns that exempt individuals without a valid digital record may face delays at check-in or on arrival while manual checks are carried out. Embassies have been advised to brief staff and ensure their logistics teams capture the passport details exactly as held in the VSIS record to avoid mismatches. The move is part of the government’s broader ‘Digital by Default’ border modernisation programme, which also underpins the e-Visa rollout for mainstream migrants and the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme for non-visa nationals. For corporate travel managers, the key takeaway is that VIP or government-linked travellers who previously relied on passport stickers must now generate and carry a share-code or ensure their airline can access the new system. Airlines say the interface is similar to the existing digital immigration status checker used for e-Visas, so they do not anticipate major disruption—but the first few weeks are likely to see an uptick in secondary checks. Organisations that frequently bring in exempt personnel for defence, energy or diplomatic projects should update travel checklists and arrange refresher briefings for security teams at UK sites. While the digital shift streamlines processing in the long term, failure to secure the record in advance could lead to refused boarding and costly last-minute changes.
Source: UK Visas & Immigration guidance
