Can I work while I wait for my biometric residence permit?

What is a biometric residence permit? 

A biometric residence permit is a small driving licence size card given to anyone coming to the UK on a visa for more than six months, or applying for settlement. It proves the holders right to live, rent, work and study in the UK and as a form of identity for opening a bank account.

The permit will include:

• Photographic identification of the holder
• Your name and date of birth
• Expiry date
• Place and issue of visa
• Type of permit
• Conditions of stay and sponsor licence number
• Holders signature

How do I get a biometric residence permit? 

Technically you don’t need to “apply” for a biometric residence permit – you will be told to give your biometric information as part of your visa application. This is made up of a photograph of you and your fingerprints.

Where you need to go to provide your information depends on if you’re making an application from inside or outside the UK. If you’re applying from South Africa before you apply for your first time entry visa, you will need to go to a visa application centre in your country. You can find a centre closest to you via the TLS visa website. For an application from inside the UK, you will need to find a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Centre, Post Office or Service and Support Centre.

The appointment either way should be very short and will cost £19.20 if you do so from within the UK, or it is included in your application fee if you are in South Africa.

You will be told in your decision letter on your visa application what to do next to collect or receive your BRP.

When will I receive my biometric residence permit?

Again, this will depend on where you completed the process from, in the UK or in South Africa. If you are inside the UK and making an extension on a visa or switching to different visa, your permit will be sent to the address you gave when applying. This will usually be within 10 days of your letter saying you are able to remain in the UK.

If applying from South Africa or any other country outside the UK, you will be able to collect your permit once you arrive in the UK. To prove your identity and right to stay in the UK, you will receive a “vignette” sticker in your passport if your application for a visa is successful. You will need to do this within 10 days of arriving before the sticker expires.

To collect your permit, you must:

• Go to the Post Office branch stated in your decision letter
• Or collect from your sponsor organisation if applicable
• Bring your passport or travel document to show your vignette sticker and prove who you are

Can I work before I collect my biometric residence permit?

If you are coming to the UK to work, whether on a Skilled Worker visa or other work visa, you are strongly encouraged by Home Office guidance to collect your BRP before you start working in the UK. Employers are legally required to report to the Home Office and check each foreign national employee’s right to work to ensure they are not breaching any immigration rules. Therefore it’s important for both you and your sponsor to be compliant to not fall foul of the Home Office.

However, it is recognised there could be reasons you need to start your job before you are able to collect your BRP, for example, if your chosen Post Office branch is not open.

In these circumstances you can show the vignette in your passport for your employer to carry out a right to work check. However, the sticker expires and will not be valid 10 days after you enter the country. At that point, you will have no other option than the BRP to prove your right to be in the UK. A new right to work check will then need to be carried out.

Do I need to have my biometric residence permit with me at all times? 

No – you do not need to carry your permit with you all the time. However, there are times you will need to be able to produce it, including:

• Opening a bank account
• When travelling outside of the UK, you must be able to show it alongside your passport when leaving and returning
• To rent or buy a home

What if I have a problem collecting my BRP?

If you tried to collect your BRP and were unable to because, for example:

• The Post Office was closed
• You have lost your travel document
• You have lost your decision letter and don’t know where to go

You should contact the Home Office as soon as possible. They should contact you within five working days to let you know what to do next. You should also report any problems or mistakes with your BRP when you have picked it up.

Showing your right to settle on your biometric residence permit

If you have applied successfully for indefinite leave to remain, you will have been living lawfully in the UK for at least five years and potentially held a few different visas. When you receive your right to settle permanently in the UK, you will be able to show your indefinite leave to remain status with your biometric residence permit.

You can use an online updating service on the UK government website if your BRP has expired and you need to update your immigration status.

If your travel document or passport has expired, you can replace the visa stamp inside it with a BRP to prove your residency rights in the UK. Again, you should use the online government website service, costing £229. If you need a faster decision, you can pay £1000 to get a decision within one to two working days.

What if my BRP is lost or stolen

It is highly recommended you also make a photocopy of your card just incase you lose your BRP or it is stolen. In those circumstances, you will need to follow different reporting procedures depending on if you are inside or outside the UK.

From inside the UK 

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

• Report it as lost or stolen to the Home Office
• Apply for a new permit if you plan to leave the UK within three months of the lost or stolen BRP’s expiry date
• Apply to extend your visa if you plan to stay after its expiry date and you will automatically qualify for a new one if your application is successful

If valid for more than three months in the UK, you must:

• Apply for a replacement and report it lost or stolen
• Do so within three months of losing it or you could be liable for a fine

From outside the UK

You cannot apply for a replacement permit from outside the UK – instead you must apply for a “replacement BRP visa” allowing you to enter the UK once, costing £154. You must then apply for a BRP once you are in the UK.