You can report a lost or stolen biometric residence permit (BRP) from within or outside the United Kingdom. You can only apply for a replacement if you live in the United Kingdom.

After you report it, the Home Office will contact you within one working day.

You can ask someone to report on your behalf, such as a lawyer, a charity, an employer, or a college or university.

While you wait for a replacement BRP, there are alternative options for proving your immigration status.

Biometric residency cards (BRCs) are not the same as BRPs. ‘UK resident cards’ is another name for BRCs. If you’re in the UK as a family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, you might have one.

If you live in the United Kingdom
Report your lost or stolen BRP and ask for a replacement if it was valid for at least three months. This must be completed within three months of losing it.

If you do not apply for a replacement within three months, you might be fined up to £1,000 and forced to leave the UK.

If your BRP was only valid for three months or less, you must either:

If you don’t plan to stay in the UK after its expiry date, report it as lost or stolen. If you plan to leave and re-enter the UK within 3 months of its expiry date, apply for a replacement. If you want to stay in the UK after its expiry date, apply to extend your visa – if granted, you’ll automatically get a new BRP. 

If you’re not from the United Kingdom
If your BRP is lost or stolen outside of the UK, you must notify it.

You can’t get a replacement BRP if you’re not in the UK. You’ll need to apply for a’replacement BRP visa,’ which allows you to re-enter the UK only once. It will set you back £154.

When you return to the UK, you can apply for a replacement BRP. Unless you have a good reason, such as being unable to return to the UK in that time, you must do this within 3 months of reporting it lost or stolen.

You can apply for a Returning Resident visa if you’ve been away for more than two years and have lost your documentation proving your right to live in the UK.

If you recover your BRP after reporting it lost or stolen, you will not be allowed to use it.

You’ll still need to apply for a replacement if you’re in the UK.

You’ll still need to apply for a’replacement BRP visa’ to fly back to the UK before applying for a replacement if you’re outside the UK.

When your replacement arrives, shred your old BRP and send it to the Home Office in parts. Make sure you cut through:

your personal details
the royal coat of arms
the gold biometric chip, if your card has one
Returns Unit 
PO Box 195 
Bristol 

If you hold a visa or a BRP, you must report any changes in your circumstances.

Do you want to instruct me? If it is a request for free legal advice I may not respond, I’m sorry. If you are looking for personal legal advice or help with your case, we have three different services available for differing budgets:

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We are Queen’s Park Solicitors. I am a solicitor (lawyer) based in London, UK. My name is Atty. Lindoven Magsino, BSc, MBA, GDL, LLM, Ph.D. (candidate). We are based at Suite 4, Stewart House, 56 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex IG11 8RT, United Kingdom | Telephone: 02036437508 | Fax: 02033931725 | Email: donm@queensparksolicitors.co.uk | Regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) 566513. Visit us at http://www.queensparksolicitors.co.uk.