I Have Lost My Biometric Residence Permit, What Do I Need To Do?

The Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is an important document which evidences your immigration status in the UK. 

You need your BRP to prove your right to reside, work, rent and seek medical care in the UK (although in some cases, you can also prove your immigration status online). 

If you have lost your BRP inside the UK and your BRP has a validity of 3 months or more left on it, you need to first report your BRP as lost, which must be done within 3 months of losing it. You then have to apply for a replacement BRP. The Home Office advises that you may be fined up to £1,000 and made to leave the UK if you do not report a BRP as lost and fail to apply for a replacement within 3 months of losing it.

If your BRP has less than 3 months of validity, you are still encouraged to report it as lost, and you can also apply for a replacement if you urgently need to travel (but you should take the below mentioned processing times into account). Alternatively, if you are close to applying for a new type of visa or an extension of your current visa (if this was your intention and you are eligible to extend or switch to a new category), you can explain the loss as part of the application, rather than applying for a replacement BRP first.

If you lose your BRP outside the UK, you will instead need to apply for a so-called replacement BRP visa that is valid for 30 days and will allow you to re-enter the UK, where you will need to apply for a new BRP. 

To apply for a replacement BRP inside the UK, you will need to submit an online application form and book a biometric appointment. Thereafter, the Home Office’s stated processing time is 8 weeks, and if you hold Indefinite Leave to Remain – it is 6 months. Whilst not in a possession of a valid BRP, you should avoid travelling outside the UK as you will have issues returning to the UK. To apply for a replacement BRP visa outside the UK, the processing time is 3 weeks from the date you submit your biometrics at a visa application centre. You cannot return to the UK until you have received this visa.

Please note that the processing times are not guaranteed and, especially at the moment, it can take significantly longer to obtain a decision. There is, unfortunately, no priority service available for the BRP replacement applications at the moment.

If you have lost your BRP or have any questions in relation to replacing a lost or expired BRP, please do not hesitate to contact us for legal advice. 

How Can Gherson Help

Gherson’s Immigration Team has extensive experience advising on issues relating to BRPs. Please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication, it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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