Your biometric residence permit

There is no legal requirement in the UK to carry official ID with you, so please keep your passport and BRP secure, ideally in a safe place in your accommodation. Replacing it is costly and time-consuming.

Lost or stolen BRP in the UK

If your BRP is lost or stolen in the UK you should report it online. You should then apply for a replacement BRP (which currently costs £56) as soon as possible but certainly within 3 months. You could be fined up to £1,000 and made to leave the UK if you don’t apply for a replacement in time.

There is more information about how to apply for a replacement BRP on the UKCISA website and also on the gov.uk website.

Make sure you let your university and your programme officer know that your BRP has been lost. Remember to send a copy of your new BRP to your programme officer and your university. You will not be able to travel outside the UK without your BRP.

Lost or Stolen BRP outside the UK

Losing your BRP outside the UK can be extremely disruptive to your travels and studies. Your BRP is the document that demonstrates your immigration permission to enter and remain in the UK and you should not attempt to re-enter the UK without it.

If your BRP is lost or stolen outside the UK you should report it online as soon as possible.

You then need to apply for a ‘replacement BRP visa‘ in your passport to allow you to travel back to the UK. Please read the information on the UKCISA website about BRPs lost or stolen outside the UK. You will need to apply online to replace your BRP selecting ‘replacement biometric residence permit (BRP) visa’ as the visa type.

When filling in the online visa application form, you will need to complete all sections of the form as fully as possible. You will also need to explain your circumstances in the final section of the form titled ‘additional information.’ You should include details of how you lost/had your BRP stolen and provide details from your police report if you have one.

You will also need to pay online for your application (which is currently £154) and make an appointment to present your documents at a visa application centre. It may take several weeks for the replacement vignette to be processed, but if you send the details of your application to the Welfare and Immigration team then we will endeavour to assist.

Once your vignette has been issued and you have travelled back to the UK, you will need to apply for a replacement BRP as soon as possible, but certainly within one month. This currently costs £56.

If you lose your BRP and have to apply for a replacement then please inform your programme officer and your university.

There is more information about how to apply for a replacement BRP on the UKCISA website and also on the gov.uk website.

Please note that the Secretariat is unable to provide any funds to cover the costs of replacing your BRP. You should check your travel insurance policy to find out if you can claim back any of the funds.