Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

In This Article

• What is a Biometric Residence Permit?
• What a BRP showed
• BRP and right to work
• The BRP to eVisa transition
• What to do if you still have a BRP
• Lost or damaged BRP
• BRP vs eVisa at a glance
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Frequently asked questions
• Related terms

What is a Biometric Residence Permit?

If you arrived in the UK on a work or study visa before 2025, you almost certainly had one of these: a credit-card-sized plastic card with your photo, fingerprint chip, and visa details. It was the thing employers asked to see on your first day, landlords photocopied before handing you keys, and border officers glanced at when you re-entered the country.

The BRP system ran from 2008 until the end of 2024. For over a decade, it was how millions of overseas nationals proved their right to be in the UK. UKVI issued them for any leave grant longer than six months, gradually replacing the old vignette stickers in passports.

From 31 December 2024, the Home Office ceased issuing new BRPs. All leave granted from that date onwards is recorded digitally in the holder's UKVI online account as an eVisa. The underlying immigration status has not changed — only the format in which it is evidenced.

What a BRP Showed

The front of a BRP showed your photo, full name, date of birth, nationality, and visa category (for example, "Skilled Worker" or "Student"). The back listed your leave start and expiry dates, any conditions (such as "No recourse to public funds"), and a National Identity Number. A fingerprint chip was embedded in the card.

This was what employers and landlords would check at a glance: who you are, what leave you hold, and when it runs out.

BRP and Right to Work

During the BRP era, right to work checks for workers with time-limited leave involved either:

• Checking the physical BRP card, or
• Using the Home Office online right to work checking service with the worker's BRP details

Since January 2025, the BRP is no longer the primary document for right to work checks for those with time-limited leave. Employers are expected to use the eVisa share code system, where the worker generates a code from their UKVI online account and the employer verifies it through the Home Office online service.

Employers who relied solely on a physical BRP card after the transition without completing the online check may not have a valid statutory excuse. If in doubt, both employer and employee should confirm the right to work check method with the Home Office guidance.

The BRP to eVisa Transition

The Home Office transitioned BRP holders to the eVisa system in stages during 2024. Key dates:

If you held a BRP and were granted leave that extends beyond December 2024, your leave remains valid. The BRP card itself is simply no longer the recognised method of evidencing that status. You must create a UKVI online account if you have not done so already to access your eVisa.

What to Do If You Still Have a BRP

If you still hold a BRP:

1. Check your actual leave expiry. Log into your UKVI online account (or create one at gov.uk) to see the true expiry date of your leave. Do not assume your leave expires when the BRP card says it does.
2. Create or access your UKVI online account. This is where your eVisa is held. You will need it for right to work checks, renting, and travel.
3. Update your linked passport. If you have renewed your passport since the BRP was issued, make sure your UKVI account is updated with the new passport number.
4. Use share codes for right to work and right to rent. Employers and landlords should no longer be checking the physical card. Use the share code system going forward.

Lost or Damaged BRP

Since BRPs are no longer issued for new grants of leave, a lost or damaged BRP is less critical than it once was. Your immigration status now lives in your UKVI online account, not on the card.

If your BRP is lost or stolen, you should report it to the police and to the Home Office. However, you do not need a replacement card to prove your status. Your eVisa in your UKVI account is the current and accepted evidence of leave.

If you have not yet set up your UKVI online account, do so at gov.uk using your BRP details and passport.

BRP vs eVisa at a Glance

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Thinking your leave expires when your BRP card does. Many BRPs issued before 2024 show an expiry of 31 December 2024. Your actual leave may extend well beyond that date. Always check your UKVI account.
• Not creating a UKVI online account. Even if you still have a valid physical BRP, you need an online account to use the eVisa share code system for right to work and right to rent checks.
• Employers accepting a BRP card without running the online check. For a fully compliant right to work check, the share code process should be used.
• Failing to update your UKVI account after getting a new passport. Your eVisa and any travel verification are linked to a specific passport number. Update your account promptly when you renew.
• Discarding your old BRP too early. While the BRP is no longer primary evidence of status, keep it safe until you have confirmed your UKVI account is set up and your eVisa is active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my BRP still valid after December 2024?

Your BRP card itself is no longer the primary evidence of your immigration status, but your underlying leave may still be valid. Many BRPs show an expiry of 31 December 2024 even though the visa leave extends beyond that date. Check your actual leave expiry through your UKVI online account — that is now where your eVisa lives.

My BRP says it expires before my visa. Do I still have leave?

Yes. Many BRPs issued before 2024 have a card expiry date of 31 December 2024, even if the leave granted extends beyond that date. Your actual visa leave is what matters, not the date on the BRP card. Check your leave expiry through your UKVI online account.

Can I still use my BRP to prove my right to work?

A BRP alone is no longer sufficient for a fully compliant right to work check for most workers. Employers must use the Home Office online checking service with your eVisa share code and date of birth. You should create a UKVI online account if you have not already done so.

What should I do if I lose my BRP?

Since BRPs are no longer issued for new grants, a lost or damaged BRP should not prevent you from evidencing your status. Your immigration status now lives in your UKVI online account as an eVisa. If you have not yet set up your UKVI account, do so at gov.uk to access your eVisa.

Do I need to hand in my BRP when it expires?

The Home Office has not required BRP holders to physically return their old cards since the transition. However, you should no longer use the BRP as your primary proof of immigration status. Your eVisa is the current and accepted method.

Related Terms

• eVisa
• Visa Vignette
• Right to Work Check
• UKVI

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