It’s not what you want and sometimes not your fault – we heard of a very unfortunate case this week whereby the holder of the card was helped by two Samaritans when his car broke down. His wallet was on the back seat of the car….what do you do – not everyone recognises the importance of the cards but they hold specific information:
- your biographic details (your name, and your date and place of birth); and
- your ‘biometric information’ (fingerprints and facial image).
- It has replaced the vignette previously held in the passport and shows your immigration status and your entitlements while you are in the UK.
What you need to do and quickly is to obtain a replacement. How long will it take?
That depends on how quickly you can act – there’s a process to go through, reports to be filed and biometrics to be taken – even if you’ve just enrolled, you’ll do it again.
Steps to take:
- Report the loss or theft to the Police, you will need the Police Report Number
- Send an email to the The BRP Management Unit – they will send a letter to your home address advising you of their requirements, they will also send you the relevant application forms.
- The forms must be posted to UKBA with a fee of £37 for each replacement card and you must also post original supporting documents which includes your passport.
- Once the payment has cleared and forms have been checked, you will receive a letter inviting you to go to a local participating Post Office to enrol biometrics. Thereafter, the details will be linked to the application and the replacement permits will be sent direct to your home address.
I have a holiday booked/urgent business overseas to attend to!
You are advised not to travel until you have received the replacement permits – reasons for this may be not be immediately obvious but your passport no longer proves your immigration status in the UK and the airline and/or Immigration Official are not obliged to give their permission for you to either to board their airline or enter the UK. Airline operators risk a hefty fine if they allow passengers to board without the correct documentation and our budget operators can’t afford it. If you are a non-visa national you could argue that it is possible to board the flight but will you be permitted entry at Arrivals?
You can argue that your need to travel is so desperate that you will take a chance and carry other forms of evidence with you but be warned, permission to enter is at the discretion of the Immigration Official and he has no access to UKBA over a weekend and may leave you sitting it out whilst he makes his enquiries.
You asked how long this would all take – UKBA advise 2 weeks, you should err on the side of caution and expect to wait at least 4-5 weeks before your Biometric Residence Permits are safely delivered to you.
Sometimes there’s nothing you could have done to prevent the theft or loss of your BRP, but remember it’s value and significance, it’s a small card with a lot of information on that chip!
Feel free to contact us if you need any information or assistance.
