Immigration Corner | What is a biometric residence permit?

Dear Mr Bassie,

I have been told that I will need to obtain a biometric residence permit for my time in the United Kingdom. Any information about what this is would be appreciated.

AA

Dear AA,

A biometric residence permit (BRP) can be used to confirm a person’s identity and whether he/she has a right to study. The BRP can also be used to ascertain whether the holder is entitled to any public services or benefits. Please be aware that persons cannot use their BRP to prove their right to work or prove their right to rent in the United Kingdom (UK).

Persons might have a BRP if they have a visa for more than six months, indefinite leave to remain or certain Home Office travel documents. Please note that BRPs say ‘residence permit’ on them.

Please be aware that BRPs are now being replaced by eVisas. An eVisa is an online record of an individual’s immigration status. BRPs are no longer issued, but persons can still collect one if they made a visa application from outside the UK.

Those persons who applied for their immigration status (for example, a visa) from outside the UK will need to collect their biometric residence permit (BRP) once they are in the UK.

Persons must usually collect the BRP before the vignette sticker in their travel document expires or within ten days of arriving in the UK, whichever is later.

What is on a BRP

Please note that a person’s BRP will include the following information:

• name, date and place of birth;

• fingerprints and a photo of their face (this is their biometric information);

• immigration status and any conditions of their stay;

• whether they can access public funds, for example, benefits and health services;

• the expiry date.

The BRP may also have a National Insurance (NI) number printed on the back of their permit.

Just for completeness, please note that BRPs are different from biometric residence cards (BRCs), which are also called ‘UK residence cards’.

UK residence cards are also called EEA biometric residence cards (BRCs). Persons can no longer apply for or replace a UK residence card. Persons who already have one, what they can use it for depends on whether they have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or do not have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

I hope this helps.

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the past global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com