The Future of Digital Migration

04.09.2025

With the advent of computers, our world is becoming increasingly digitized. Some areas of life are adapting faster than others. Law — and migration law in particular — remains a relatively conservative field, where innovation tends to move slowly. Yet even this domain has undergone significant virtualization in recent years.

Governments are moving migration processes online due to the speed and efficiency of digital data processing. Verifying and handling applicant information is much faster when submitted in digital form. This approach also reduces the likelihood of errors.

What Trends Are Shaping the Future of Migration?

1. Remote Visa Applications

Many countries already allow visa applications to be submitted remotely. However, the level of digitalization varies widely.

Some countries offer a fully online visa process, including:

• Turkey
• Armenia
• Georgia
• Azerbaijan
• India
• Sri Lanka
• Laos

In Europe, the EU e-Visa / ETIAS program is being developed to enable a complete online application cycle.

Other countries only allow online form submission, requiring an in-person visit to the consulate for further steps. These include:

• The UK
• Canada
• The US
• Germany
• France
• Spain
• Italy
• Other EU countries (until ETIAS is fully launched)

Even in these cases, the process is significantly faster than submitting a full paper application in person.

2. Electronic Visas

The transition from online applications to fully electronic visas is a natural next step. In reality, visa information is already stored in border control databases:

The transition from online applications to fully electronic visas is a natural next step. In reality, visa information is already stored in border control databases:

• In the Schengen Area — Visa Information System (VIS)
• In other countries — national consular databases

Historically, a visa served as physical proof of permission to cross a border. Today, border officers rely on digital databases, making the physical visa stamp increasingly redundant.

As a result, many countries are adopting purely electronic visas, with no passport stamps. These include:

• Turkey
• Armenia
• Georgia
• Moldova
• India
• Sri Lanka
• Cambodia
• Vietnam
• Laos

The EU e-Visa / ETIAS system is expected to launch in 2025, further accelerating this trend.

Given the growing level of digitalization, it’s likely that all countries will eventually adopt electronic visas.

3. Online Applications for Residence Permits and Citizenship

Visa processes are just the beginning. Some countries now allow remote applications for residence permitsand citizenship.
Examples include:

• France — ANEF (Administration Numérique des Étrangers en France)
• Estonia — e-Residency
• Portugal — SEF Portal (now transitioning to AIMA)
• Canada — IRCC Portal (supports Express Entry, Work/Study Permits, and more)
• UAE — ICP and GDRFA portals (covering work, business, and family-based residence)

Digital migration processes benefit both applicants and governments:

• Applicants avoid in-person visits to embassies
• Governments streamline and accelerate application processing
• Transparency increases, and corruption risks decrease

Why Is the Transition Still Slow?

The main barrier is government concern over document authenticity and applicant identity. Authorities need to be confident that documents haven’t been altered and that the person submitting them is the actual applicant.

However, as trust in digital systems grows and technology advances, these concerns will diminish — paving the way for fully online visa and residence permit processes.

Author: Aleksei Molchanov

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