BRP Issues

If your BRP is lost or stolen, you must notify UKVI by completing an online report.    

If it is stolen you should report this to the police and try to obtain a police report/reference. Many police forces (including Leicestershire and Metropolitan police) do not take reports of lost ID. 

UKVI will cancel a reported BRP, the BRP will no longer be valid even if it is subsequently recovered after a loss or theft. You are also required to cut up any cancelled BRP in your possession. 

If you have more than three months’ permission left you must apply for a replacement BRP within three months of the loss, theft or damage.   

If you have less than three months' permission left, you should apply for further immigration permission (if you are eligible) or leave the UK before your permission expires. 

If you are planning to leave the UK and not return within the period remaining on your lost, stolen or damaged BRP, or you plan to return in a different visa category, you are not required to replace the BRP.

If your BRP is lost or stolen you must notify UKVI by completing an online report. It is advisable to report any loss or theft to local police and retain any report/reference issued. 

UKVI will cancel a reported BRP, the BRP will be no longer be valid even if it is subsequently recovered after a loss or theft. You are also required to cut up any cancelled BRP in your possession. 

If you are overseas and not planning to return to the UK in the period remaining on your lost, stolen or damaged BRP, or you plan to return in a different visa category, you are not required to replace the BRP.     

You cannot apply for a replacement BRP from overseas. If you do need to return to the UK, you must apply online for a single-entry Replacement BRP visa and once you have used the visa to return to the UK, you must then apply for a new BRP within one month (see How do I apply for a replacement BRP?).    

When you apply, you should select “BRP vignette transfer”.

You do not need to provide a CAS for this application, it may help if you provide a student status letter which you can download from Student Self Service. 

The Replacement BRP visa will be issued as a new vignette in your passport which lets you re-enter the UK once only. 

You should provide Student Records or Student Services (for LUiL students) with a copy of the Replacement BRP visa. 

To apply for a replacement BRP, you must be in the UK. Applications are submitted online.  

Towards the end of the online process, you should choose one of the different UKVI service standards for processing times which includes standard, priority and super priority services. 

If you want us to fully advise on your application, you should stop and save your application at the ‘documents’ stage. Book an appointment with us so that we can check your online form and documents. We will then help you decide which service to use and your appointment options. 

After paying for your application (including biometric fee) the online portal directs you to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) ‘service point’ run by Sopra Steria.  

There are numerous UKVCAS service points around the UK. A limited number of free appointments are available at all service points except ‘premium lounge’ services. There is a standard charge for all other appointments. Free appointments are generally available 9:00 – 14:00 and are more likely to be booked up first. You will often have to wait longer for a free appointment, deciding to pay for an earlier appointment can allow your application to be decided quicker. If you cannot see a suitable appointment immediately you may need to consider alternative locations and keep checking daily. UKVCAS publish new appointments daily up to 28 days in advance, currently free appointment availability is updated at 9am and chargeable appointments are added at midnight. 

The nearest UKVCAS service points to Loughborough campus include Nottingham, Birmingham and Sheffield, there are numerous service points across London. 

You will have the option to upload your supporting evidence online prior to visiting the service point or pay extra to take your documents to be scanned at your appointment. 

To your appointment you will need to take:

• Appointment confirmation print out including scannable QR code 
• Passport 
• Any supporting evidence that has not already been scanned and uploaded, e.g. when you have paid UKVCAS for document scanning 

This depends on when you attend your UKVCAS appointment and the UKVI service standard you have paid for. The target time for ‘standard’ applications is 8 weeks, ‘priority’ applications have a target time of 5 working days, ‘super priority’ applications should be decided within a day after the UKVCAS appointment.  

You will also have to wait for your new BRP to be subsequently delivered by courier which should be within 10 working days. We always advise against making any firm travel plans until after the new BRP is received.

You should contact Student Records or Student Services (for LUL students) to let them know that you have received a new BRP and to make arrangements to provide a copy. 

After reporting a lost, stolen or damaged BRP UKVI will cancel the BRP, require you to cut up any damaged or recovered BRP and send them evidence you have done this (any such instructions are issued by email).