What is a biometric residence permit (BRP) and can I still use it?

What a BRP was

A biometric residence permit (BRP) was a card used to prove your immigration status in the UK.

BRPs were issued to people given permission to live or work in the UK on or before 31 October 2024. The Home Office has now replaced all of them with eVisas. An eVisa is an online record of your identity and immigration status.

Can you still use your BRP?

All BRPs have now expired. Your status is now held as an eVisa.

You may be able to keep using the expired card for a few things for 24 months after the expiry date printed on it, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. You can only use it to:

• access and share your eVisa
• create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
• apply to extend your permission to stay

You cannot use it as proof of your status for work, renting or travel. For those you use your eVisa.

What to do now

1. Set up a free UKVI account. You need a phone number, an email address and an identity document, such as a valid passport with your BRP number, or your expired BRP.
2. Prove your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app on a smartphone. There are other ways if you cannot use a smartphone or do not have a passport or BRP.
3. Link your eVisa to the account.
4. Add the passport you travel with to your account.
5. When an employer or landlord needs to check your status, give them a share code. A share code lasts 90 days.

Each family member needs their own UKVI account, including children who came as dependants.

If your BRP is lost or stolen

You must report a lost or stolen BRP. If you do not, you can be fined up to £1,000 and made to leave the UK. Once reported, the card cannot be used again.

Getting rid of your old card

When you no longer need it, cut the card into pieces. Make sure your personal details, the royal crest and the chip are all destroyed.

Things to know

• Setting up a UKVI account and accessing your eVisa is free. Be careful of anyone who asks you to pay.
• If you help someone else set up their account, you can use your own contact details at first, then change them later.
• If you get a new passport, update your UKVI account before you travel.

Related guides

• What is an eVisa and how do I get access to mine?
• What is a UKVI account?
• How do I get a share code to prove my immigration status?
• How do I prove my right to work?

Where this comes from

• Biometric residence permits (BRPs)
• Get access to your eVisa
• Set up a UKVI account
• View your eVisa and get a share code
• Travelling with your eVisa