If you are applying to stay in the UK for 6 months or longer, you will automatically receive a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). Before you proceed with BRP application, it’s important to check eligibility, required documents, processing time and fee. Read this guide, and you will know what is BRP and how to apply for it.
What Is a BRP
A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is an 86mm x 54mm polycarbonate card that proves you legally reside, work, or study in the UK. It contains a chip to make it more secure against forgery and abuse. A Biometric Residence Permit can also be used as a form of identity, for example, to open a UK bank account.
It contains your biographic details(your name, date, and place of birth), and your biometric information(fingerprints and facial image). The BRP also includes their conditions of leave, such as if someone has the right to work or access public funds. This can also be used to access the Home Office online service to prove your right to work to potential employers and your right to rent private rented accommodation in England to potential landlords.
There is no need for you to carry your BRP at all times, but you must show this with your passport at the UK border, if required, when traveling in and out of the UK.
image resource: gov.uk
Who Is Eligible for a biometric residence permit?
You will be issued with a BRP if you:
- Apply to come to the UK for longer than 6 months
- Extend your visa to longer than 6 months
- Apply to settle in the UK
- Transfer your visa to a new passport
- Apply for certain Home Office travel documents
How Do I Apply for a Biometric Residence Permit?
If your visa or immigration application is approved, or you are replacing an older document, you will get a BRP automatically. Therefore, you do not have to apply for it separately.
However, if you do not have one and wish to apply for , you may be able to do so if your passport or travel document has been lost or stolen, or if the biometric identifying details on your visa have changed.
Applying from inside the UK
The process is quick, taking between 5-10 minutes, and does not involve any ink or mess. Keep in mind that you must already be inside the UK and will need to do so through a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) appointment, or go to any Post Office branch and a service or support canter. You will need to attend your appointment in person so you can provide your fingerprints and an updated UK residence photo. What’s more, you can find details of where to find your nearest on the Government’s website. If you are within the UK and have submitted your information before, such as fingerprints, you don’t need to attend the appointment.
Applying from outside the UK
If you’re applying from another country outside the UK, you’ll need to find your nearest visa application center(VAC). Follow these steps:
1. Fill out an application form
2. Find your VAC through TLS contact
3. Submit your biometric information and collect your BRP
Someone aged 18 or over must be present at the delivery address to receive your BRP, where they will need proof of their identity, such as a driving license or passport.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Biometric Residence Permit?
You can receive your BRP within 7 to 10 days if your immigration application was made from inside the UK. It will be sent to the address provided as part of your application. If your application is approved and your BRP does not arrive, you can report this online. However, it might take longer than 10 working days if you have applied from the Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly, or Scottish Highlands or islands.
If you make your visa application outside the UK, you should collect your BRP once you enter the UK. You must do this before the vignette sticker in your travel document expires or within 10 days of arriving in the UK. Otherwise, you will be fined up to £1000.
How Much Does a BRP Cost?
The fee you need to pay will depend on where you made your visa or immigration application. If you apply for a visa in the UK, In addition to your visa application fee, it costs £19.20 if you have provided your biometrics or re-use this information before. You will be told if you need to pay this fee when you apply to extend your stay or to switch to a different visa from within the UK.
If you apply for a visa from outside the UK, the cost of enrolling your biometrics at a VAC appointment will be included in your visa application fee.
Where Do I Collect the BRP?
Where you can collect your BRP depends on whether you have applied in the UK or outside the UK.
Collecting the BRP from inside the UK
The delivery company will let you know the time and date that your BRP will be arriving, and you can make changes if you wish to. If you are over 18 years old, you must prove your identity by showing your passport, national identity card, or driving license.
Collecting the BRP from outside the UK
You will either be asked to collect it at a Post Office branch in the UK or from your sponsor if you have chosen this option when you applied. Additionally, you must bring your passport or travel document with your vignette sticker when you collect your BRP.
Notice: You must usually do this before the vignette sticker in your travel document expires or within 10 days of arriving in the UK, depending on which one is later. What’s more, you can only collect it once you are in the UK.
Mistakes on a Biometric Residence Permit
Once you have received your Biometric Residence Permit, you must check your BRP carefully to ensure all details are correct. You will have 10 days from the day your BRP arrives to report any mistakes on your BRP, or you will need to apply for a replacement BRP.
If you submitted an in-country application and your Biometric Residence Permit contains a mistake in the length or conditions of your stay then you can apply for Administrative Review. Any other problems with your BRP should be reported using this form. The Home Office will email you within 5 working days to tell you what to do next.
FAQ:
1.What can I do if my BRP expired?
Apply to extend your visa if you want to stay in the UK after the permit’s expiry date. However, if you don’t plan to remain in the UK, report the permit lost or stolen.
If your visa is about to expire, you can get a new BRP once you have applied for an extension.
If you have Indefinite Leave to Remain, you can use the BRP replacement service. However, if you are currently abroad, you will need to apply for a replacement BRP visa, which will let you re-enter the UK once only. It costs £154.
2.Can I re-enter the UK without BRP? If I forget to take my BRP, how can I go back to the UK?
Yes. Just apply for a one-time entry vignette. The Home Office requires you to carry your original BRP, alongside your original current passport, when travelling to and from the UK.
If you lose your BRP whilst outside the UK, or it expires, you will need to apply for a one-time entry vignette, also known as a replacement BRP visa, to return to the UK. You can apply at your closest UK visa application centre abroad.
Please keep in mind that the one-time entry vignette will be for single-use travel to the UK.
On your return to the UK, you will need to promptly apply for a replacement BRP and will only be able to travel again once you have received the new BRP.
3.If I have found my BRP after reporting it as lost or stolen, can I still use it?
No. You will not be able to use your BRP if you find it after you report it lost or stolen.
If you’re in the UK, you’ll still need to apply for a replacement. If you’re outside the UK, you’ll still need to apply for a ‘replacement BRP visa’ to travel back to the UK before applying for a replacement.
When your replacement arrives, you should cut your older BRP into pieces and post it to the Home Office at the Returns Unit, PO Box 195, Bristol or BS20 1BT.
Conclusion
This guide have introduced what is BRP, how to apply for it and other questions you might interested in.
So, that’s it – everything you need to know about the BRP application. Hopefully, with the instructions provided above, you can apply for your BRP without much effort.
Erin Lo