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I called the UKVI helplines at 020 3080 0010 (free) and 020 3875 4669 (69p/min) to ask whether I could simply use my new passport along with the old ILR vignette to enter the UK, without applying for an eVisa. Both agents said no, and that I must apply for an eVisa. When I pressed them on whether the old method is still accepted, they simply asked for my passport and visa numbers to “check my records” – but wouldn’t give a direct answer to the question.
Here’s what I’m trying to understand:
The official GOV.UK page on returning residents (
https://www.gov.uk/returning-resident-visa) still clearly states:
“If the stamp or vignette is in an old passport, carry both your old passport and your new passport when you travel. If you’ve accessed your eVisa, you can also prove your status that way.”
This page is dated 31 October 2024, so it seems relatively current. But it presents the old method and eVisa as parallel options – not that one has replaced the other.
Yet the helpline agents insist that the old method is no longer valid, and that everyone must switch to eVisa – even though they wouldn’t confirm this in writing or explain why the official page still lists both options.
So what’s the real situation?
Has the GOV.UK page been updated without changing the date, or is it simply out of sync with operational reality?
Are the helpline agents misinformed, or just not authorised to confirm the old method still works?
Could it be that both methods are still technically valid, but UKVI is strongly pushing eVisa to accelerate the transition?
I’d be really interested to hear from others who’ve recently entered the UK with an old ILR vignette, or who’ve had similar experiences with UKVI helplines. What’s the real story here?
