Immigration update – August

Visa vignettes have come to an end  

The Home Office has now stopped issuing physical visa vignettes for main applicants in study and work routes. Individuals in these routes are now being granted eVisas, enabling digital entry into the United Kingdom. 

Please note: dependent family members continue to receive physical vignettes for now. While a transition to eVisas for dependants is anticipated in the coming months, the Home Office has not yet confirmed a specific implementation date. 

EU Entry/Exit System  

From 12 October 2025, the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) will be introduced at the external borders of 29 European countries over a six-month period. This will allow border authorities, travellers, and transport operators time to adapt to the new procedures. 

The ESS is a digital system that records the entry and exit of non-EU nationals visiting for short stays. It captures biometric data (fingerprints and facial images) and travel details to enhance border security, prevent irregular immigration and identity fraud, identify overstayers and streamline border checks.  

Once fully implemented, EES will be active at all Schengen external border crossing points. It is expected that this data will better enable EU countries to monitor visitors to the EU and ensure compliance with the visitor limit of 90 days in a 180-day period in the Schengen area. Frequent travellers to the EU need to monitor their travel (whether for business or leisure) to ensure they don’t fall foul of the restrictions. 

Launch of new TLS Premium Application Centre  

On 11 August 2025, the Home Office officially launched a new Premium Application Centre in Central London, located just across the road from Euston Station. This new facility is designed to offer a streamlined visa application experience for individuals seeking enhanced support and convenience. 

The centre provides personalised, one-to-one assistance from a dedicated agent throughout the application process. Applicants benefit from single-counter processing using TLS’s agent-led biometrics desktop solution, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience from start to finish. 

Appointments are available between 07:00 and 21:00, offering flexibility to accommodate a wide range of schedules. The centre fee includes assisted document scanning, and applicants can enjoy complimentary refreshments in a premium lounge-style setting while they wait – the fee for this service is £250.  

To further enhance the experience, a dedicated customer contact team is available to provide expedited support where needed.  

COS allocations  

This month, we have seen a noticeable increase in demand for priority Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocations. As a result, these allocations have become more difficult to obtain. 

In addition to the increased demand, we have also seen a rise in requests for further information from the Home Office during the allocation process. These additional queries have contributed to delays in the granting of allocations, impacting overall processing times. 

Refusals of business immigration sponsor licence applications 

Home Office data published at the end of July 2025 shows significant shifts in Home Office processing, with rates of refusals of sponsor licence applications now running at 44%. This shows the Home Office is taking a far more robust approach to licence applications than previously, with a focus on assessing ‘genuineness’. We’re especially seeing the Home Office interrogate applications from businesses where they’re looking to sponsor a visa for a shareholder of the business (commonly, albeit wrongly, referred to as ‘self-sponsorship’).