score:3
Traveller provided a link to a helpful government site. Indeed, here it is written
If your application is successful
Youβll be given either:
- a sticker (called a vignette) that goes in your passport - if you gave your biometric information at a visa application centre
- access to view your immigration status information online - if you used the smartphone app to prove your identity
The latter bullet point then applies to me.
The reason that I have not immediately checked GOV.UK for this information was, that I somehow thought that distributing the "physical visa" is the job of the German state. I know better now.
Another relevant fact that I just learned about my case: if I travel through the UK border, I do not need to present any data (such as a QR code on my mobilde device etc.), but the immigration status information is automatically available to the relevant personnel.