Biometric residence permits (BRPs)

Skip contents

Getting your BRP if you applied from outside the UK

If you applied for your immigration status (for example, your visa) from outside the UK, you’ll need to collect your biometric residence permit (BRP) once you’re in the UK.

You must usually collect your BRP before the vignette sticker in your travel document expires or within 10 days of arriving in the UK, whichever is later.

Check your decision letter. It will tell you to collect your BRP from either:

  • a named Post Office branch
  • your sponsor, if you chose this option when you applied

You must be over 18 to collect a BRP.

What you’ll need

Bring your passport or travel document with your vignette sticker in when you collect your BRP.

You’ll get your vignette sticker when your visa application is approved.

Collecting a child’s BRP

You must be nominated to collect a child’s BRP, even if you’re the child’s parent.

The Home Office will tell you within 5 working days if you’re approved to collect the child’s BRP.

You do not need to be nominated if you’re also collecting your own BRP and you are named on your child’s vignette sticker.

Collecting your BRP from a different Post Office branch

You can choose to pick up your BRP from a different Post Office branch. You’ll need to arrange this at the Post Office branch you want to use and pay a fee. The Home Office cannot change the Post Office branch for you.

Check that the Post Office branch you want to use offers a ‘BRP collection service’.

Nominate someone else to collect your BRP

You can nominate someone else to collect your BRP if you have a serious illness or disability that prevents you from collecting it. You cannot nominate someone else to collect your BRP for any other reason.

The Home Office may email you to ask for proof that you cannot collect your BRP in person - for example, a letter from your doctor. Your nominated person will not be allowed to collect your BRP if you cannot show any proof when asked.

The person you’ve nominated to collect your BRP must provide your passport as evidence that you’ve entered the UK.

The person you nominate must have one of the following:

  • a passport
  • an EU national identity card
  • a BRP

You can get someone to make the nomination for you, for example a legal representative, charity, employer, college or university.

You’ll be told within 5 working days if the person you nominate is approved to collect your BRP. There are other ways to prove your immigration status before they collect it.

If you change your mind, you can still collect your BRP yourself or you can nominate a different person. You do not need to cancel the original nomination.

Nominate someone

Report a problem with collecting your BRP

Tell the Home Office if you cannot collect your BRP for any reason, for example:

  • you went to collect it from the Post Office and it was not there
  • you’ve lost your passport or travel document, or cannot prove your identity
  • you do not know which Post Office to go to because you’ve lost your decision letter

The Home Office will email you to tell you what to do next. You will usually get a response within 5 working days. It’ll take longer if you do not give an email address.

There are other ways to prove your immigration status before you collect it, for example if you need to leave and re-enter the UK.

Report now

After you get your BRP

BRPs are being replaced by eVisas. An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status. 

Most BRPs will expire on 31 December 2024. If you have permission to stay in the UK longer than your BRP, you need to set up access to your eVisa before your BRP expires.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if you need a visa

    You might be eligible for different visas depending on why you're visiting the UK and how long for.

    1. Check if you need a visa

  2. Step 2 Prepare the evidence you need

    1. Check what you need to show evidence of
    2. Check what documents you can use as evidence
    3. If your visa is for more than 6 months, check if you need a TB test

  3. Step 3 Apply

    1. Apply for a visa and book an appointment £637
    2. Check where your visa appointment will be

    You should get a decision within 3 weeks of your appointment.

    You might be able to pay an extra £500 for a decision within 5 working days or £1,000 for a decision within 24 hours (not including weekends or bank holidays). Check with your visa application centre.

  4. Step 4 Attend an appointment

    1. What you need to prove at your appointment

    You'll be told when a decision has been made about your visa.

  5. Step 5 Get access to your eVisa

    If your visa allows you to stay in the UK for longer than 6 months, you'll get an eVisa. This is an online record of your immigration status.

    1. Get access to your eVisa by setting up a UKVI account

    You’ll need to link your travel document to your UKVI account. This should be the travel document you use to come to the UK.

    1. You may have to prove your immigration status when you travel to the UK

  6. Step 6 Travel to the UK

    1. Check what you need to show at the UK border
    2. Check what you can bring with you

    Keep the documents that prove why you're visiting the UK in your hand luggage so you can show them if asked.

    1. Check the documents you can use to show why you're visiting the UK

  7. Step 7 After you arrive in the UK

    1. You are currently viewing: Find out how to get your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) if you were told you'd get one when you applied

    Check your visa to find out when you must leave the UK. You may be able to extend your visa if you want to stay for longer.

    1. Extend your visa

    If you break the conditions of your visa you may not be able to return to the UK again.

Also part of