Biometric Residence Permits Explained

A Biometric Residence Permit is a credit card-sized document issued by UKVI to most migrants granted leave to remain in the UK for more than six months. It contains the holder's name, date of birth, nationality, biometric data (fingerprints encoded on a chip), and details of their immigration status including the type of leave, the expiry date, and any work or study restrictions.

BRPs have been used since 2008 and replaced paper visa endorsements in passports for most migrants. They serve as proof of the right to work and rent, and are commonly requested by employers, landlords, and banks. If your BRP shows an incorrect expiry date or incorrect conditions, this can cause significant practical difficulties and should be corrected immediately.

Note that BRPs do not cover EU Settlement Scheme holders, who have digital-only status under the EUSS, or most short-term visa holders (under 6 months), who rely on their passport visa sticker.

For visas applied for from outside the UK, a BRP is typically sent to a Post Office branch nominated by the applicant during the application process (rather than sent directly to a home address). You must collect it within 10 days of arrival in the UK or by the date printed on your collection slip, whichever is sooner. Taking identification with you to the Post Office is essential.

If you do not collect your BRP within the allowed period, it will be returned to UKVI and you will need to contact UKVI to arrange reissue, which may involve a fee. UKVI may also count a failure to collect as a breach of visa conditions in some circumstances, so prompt collection is important.

For in-country applications (switching or extending), the BRP is generally sent to your home address by tracked delivery.

The UK government is phasing out physical BRPs and replacing them with a fully digital eVisa system. Under the eVisa system, your immigration status is held entirely online in a UKVI account. You can share access to your status with employers, landlords, and others using a time-limited share code generated through the UKVI portal.

Most BRPs issued before the transition will have an expiry date of 31 December 2024 printed on them, even if the actual leave they represent expires later. This is part of the planned transition — your leave does not expire on that date. You should have already set up or be setting up a UKVI online account to access your digital immigration status.

If you have not yet created a UKVI online account, do so at ukvi.co.uk. You will need your BRP number and biometric passport (or travel document) to register. Once registered, you can view and share your status digitally. Help with creating a UKVI account is available from Citizens Advice and other organisations.

The transition from physical BRPs to fully digital eVisas has been one of the most significant changes to UK immigration administration in years. From January 2025, the UK government's position is that eVisas are the primary proof of immigration status for most migrants. BRPs issued with a printed expiry date of 31 December 2024 will show as expired on the document, but the actual immigration leave they represent remains valid until the date specified in the original grant of leave (typically two or five years from the date of entry or leave to remain).

If your BRP has an expired printed date but you have not yet set up a UKVI online account, you must do so urgently. The process requires a biometric passport or travel document, your BRP number, and a valid email address. Once registered, you receive a UKVI profile from which you can generate share codes to prove your right to work, rent, or access services. The share code is valid for 90 days and can be regenerated as often as needed. The UKVI portal also shows the full conditions of your leave — including any restrictions on employment or study — which is essential information for both you and your employer.

If your BRP has expired and you are also approaching the expiry of your actual leave (not just the BRP printing date), you must apply to extend your leave before the expiry of your visa — not just the BRP. The BRP expiry date and the visa expiry date are different things. Staying in the UK beyond the expiry of your leave is unlawful, even if your BRP was simply printed with a placeholder date. If you are unsure about the relationship between your BRP, your leave expiry, and your eVisa account, seek advice from a regulated immigration adviser or Citizens Advice as soon as possible.