Latest news with #JaneMarriottCMGOBE
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
UK issue new eVisas for Pakistani students and workers
The UK has launched new eVisas for Pakistani students and workers in place of traditional physical immigration documents. From 15 July, most 'main' applicants travelling to the UK on study or work-related visas will no longer need a physical sticker visa in their passports. Digital proof of immigration status will now be shown using an eVisa – an online record of a person's immigration status in a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. Travel documents such as a passport can then be linked to a UKVI account for international travel and to prove immigration status to potential employers or landlords. 'Main' applicants eligible for eVisas include students, global business mobility routes, global talent, international sportspeople, skilled workers such as those in healthcare, charity workers on temporary work routes or those partaking in youth mobility schemes. According to a statement from the British High Commission (BHC) in Islamabad, applicants applying as a dependant, or as a main applicant for visas other than study or work, will still need a physical sticker visa to travel to the UK. They added that the new digital immigration system will make the visa process 'easier, more secure, digital and streamlined' for Pakistanis. Changing to an eVisa will not affect anyone's immigration status or the conditions of their entry into the UK. Travellers with existing physical visa stickers that are still in date also 'do not need to take any action'. The BHC in Islamabad said it plans to eventually roll out eVisas to the UK on all visa routes. British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, said: 'These changes to the UK visa system will make it much simpler for students and workers to prove their identity and visa status. It also means applicants can hold onto their passports, saving them time.'
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
UK removes Pakistan from air safety list, allows airlines to reapply for flights
Listen to article The United Kingdom has removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, clearing the way for Pakistani airlines to apply for flight operations to the country, UK's Air Safety Committee announced on Wednesday. Though Pakistani carriers can now apply to operate flights to the UK, each airline will still need to secure the necessary permits from the UK Civil Aviation Authority through a separate application process. The move follows years of technical collaboration between the UK's Air Safety Committee and Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), with officials confirming that sufficient improvements have been made since Pakistan was first listed in 2021 due to safety concerns. The decision is expected to ease travel for over 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the UK and thousands of British nationals in Pakistan. It may also support increased bilateral trade, which currently stands at £4.7 billion, making the UK Pakistan's third-largest trading partner. The UK's Air Safety Committee made the decision through an independent, technically-driven safety review process, which found that Pakistan had made the required safety upgrades. 'I'm grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to drive improvements to meet international safety standards. While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends,' said British High Commissioner Jane Marriott CMG OBE.
