Incorrect, lost or stolen documents (BRP/visa/passport)

If you have a mistake on your BRP you are obliged to notify the UKVI of this mistake so that they can issue you with a new card. Failure to do so could result in a significant fine of up to £1000.

The International@CampusLife team is able to help you request a correct card at no cost. In order to do this, they just need certain details and your permission to liaise with the UKVI on your behalf. 

Process stages

1)  Send the completed BRP mistakes: information and consent form, along with a copy of your BRP, to the International@CampusiIfe (ICL) team using the SUVisas@swansea.ac.uk email address. They then contact the UKVI to highlight the mistake.
2) The UKVI will look at your case, if a mistake has been made they will automatically cancel your current BRP and re-issue one with the correct details.
3) ICL will contact you (via your University email) to say that the UKVI have agreed to re-issue your new card.
4) When your new BRP arrives your new BRP will be at MyUniHub for you to collect and you will be notified you by email that it is waiting for you
5) You need to send your old BRP back to UKVI and could face a fine if you do not do so. The address for this is:
BRP returns, P.O BOX 195, Bristol, BS20 1BT
(If you are sending back a BRP and you are outside the UK the address is: BRP returns, Home Office, Conference House, Conference Avenue, Portishead Office Park, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 7LZ. 

You MUST follow the above process (paying special attention to number 1) to be able to access ICL assistance. 

Important notes

• If UKVI refuse to re-issue your BRP the ICL team will contact you direct by email for next steps
• Do not return your old BRP to the UKVI until your new one has been received
• We recommend that you get a VALIDATE ID card. This is a card issued by the UK government that you can carry with you to prove your identity instead of your passport/BRP. It reduces the risk of you losing either of those important (and hard to replace) documents. You can access one easily via ICL who will manage the process and liaise with the UK Government for you
• You cannot travel out of the UK until your new BRP is returned (process time approx.: 4-12 weeks)

My Biometric Residence Card (BRP) has been lost or stolen in the UK

The International @CampusLife (ICL) team can help you with applying for a replacement BRP and the process is outlined below. You should undertake step 1 as soon as possible and before meeting with an Adviser. In addition, if your BRP was stolen you need to report it at Swansea Central Police Station. They may give you a Police Report Reference Number but do not worry if they do not.

Please read all the information here so you are fully aware and prepared to make your replacement application.

What do i need to do?

1. Inform UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) about your lost BRP as soon as possible. You do this online by following the instructions here on the Gov.UK website. It will take you just a few minutes to complete.
2. Apply for a replacement BRP within three months of notifying the UKVI that your BRP has been lost. Important: if you fail to apply for a replacement BRP within three months of losing the card, you may be issued a Civil Penalty of up to £1,000 and be made to leave the UK.

How do i make the replacement application and how much does it cost?
You apply for a BRP replacement card online and then attend a Biometric Registration Appointment (our closest Appointment Centre is in Cardiff).

An ICL Adviser will help you check and submit your application. However, you will need to start the application form before you see them. Fill in the form but please stop before you make any payments so that they can check your answers and support you through the payment and biometric booking processes. The online form can be found here on the Gov.UK website.

The cost for a standard replacement card is £75.20 and in most cases this includes your Biometric Registration Appointment fee. However, in some instances you may also need, or choose, to pay extra for a Biometric Registration Appointment (depending on location and availability) of £50+. We will not know this before you make the application and your Adviser will explain this to you during your submission session.

What documents do I need?

• Passport
• Student Statement from MyUniHub confirming your UK address
• Police Registration Certificate with updated address (not all students will have/need this. Check your Nationality here)
• If your BRP was stolen you may have a Police Report Reference Number from Swansea Central Police Station (it is not necessary to make a report it to the Police if your BRP was lost)
• Credit or debit card to pay the online application fee and any biometric appointment fees (UK bank card if possible)

Once you have collected all your documents, and have completed most of the form up to the payment page, please come to an ICL drop-in session. Drop-in times are available on the ICL webpages here.

 How long will the process take?

A standard application for a replacement BRP usually takes around 8 weeks but can be up to 12 weeks at UKVI busy times. It is possible to make it quicker by paying for a faster service (this costs an additional approx. £800) but this can still take several weeks. It is not a quick process.

It is very important that you replace your BRP as soon as you realise it is missing. ICL staff are unable to make a new card come back any quicker as it is a UKVI process. If you do not sort your replacement out and then try and do this very quickly, as you have booked travel or have a family emergency, it can be extremely stressful (and very expensive). Please make sure you do not put yourself in this position if avoidable.

Please note: if you leave the UK whilst a BRP replacement application is under consideration, your application will be classed as withdrawn by the UKVI, a replacement card will not be issued and you will need to follow the process for replacing a BRP overseas before you can come back to the UK.

My Biometric Residence Card (BRP) has been lost or stolen overseas

Unfortunately, you are not able to replace a lost or stolen BRP directly from overseas, as this process can only be undertaken in the UK. You have to apply for a replacement 90 day single entry vignette, which will get you back into the UK, and then you apply for your replacement BRP once you arrive back in the UK.

What do i need to do?

1. Inform UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) about your lost BRP as soon as possible. You do this online by following the instructions here on the Gov.UK website. It will take you just a few minutes to complete.
2. Apply for a replacement BRP vignette transfer

How do i make the replacement BRP vignette transfer application and how much does it cost?

You make the application online via the Gov.uk website here and to make the application you will need to:

• complete the application form and answer in English
• pay for the visa fee online (£154)
• provide your biometrics (fingerprints and facial photograph)
• provide your tuberculosis test result (if you are resident in a country where you must take the test and you have been outside the UK for more than 6 months)
• provide your passport and other supporting evidence (a student statement available from MyUniHub should be all you need)

How long will it take for me to get my replacement vignette to allow me to travel back to the UK?

It can take several weeks for you to get a replacement visa depending on the country and time of year. It may be possible to make a quicker application via a Premium Service but this is dependant on the visa application centre that you are applying from and how much you are willing to pay - it can be very expensive.

Do I need to tell anyone at the University that I have lost my BRP?

If you are going to miss any of your studies due to your lost BRP and subsequent visa application process, you should let both your College and Student Compliance know as soon as possible. They can advise you on any academic or compliance steps you need to take. If you have any welfare issues, please contact International@CampusLife so they can try and assist you.

What do I do when I get back to the UK

Once you get back to the UK, you need to apply to replace your actual BRP card. The process for that can be found under the In UK: Lost or stolen BRP section of this web page. Make sure you are doing this promptly as you are required to provide the University with a new visa card to enable you to keep studying.

Lost or Stolen passport

          In the UK

1. Report to the police and get a police report/ crime reference number
2. Apply for a new passport at your embassy. You can find details of your embassy in the UK on  Foreign & Commonwealth Office list
3. If the full length of your visa was in the form of a sticker in your passport, you need to apply to transfer your old visa to a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
4. Apply for a transfer of conditions, using TOC form: You will be required to enrol your Biometrics as part of this application and will receive a BRP card once the application is successfully processed. The fee is £161
5. Update myunihub@swansea.ac.uk with new passport details.

Outside the UK

1. Report to the police and get a police report/ crime reference number
2. Apply for a new passport at your embassy. You can find details of your embassy in the UK on  Foreign & Commonwealth Office list
3. If the full length of your visa was in the form of a sticker in your passport, once you have your new passport, you need to apply for a vignette transfer to get a replacement visa printed inside your new passport. This costs £154.  If you have BRP card you do not need to do this.
4. If the full length of your visa was in the form of a sticker in your passport, once you have your new passport, you need to apply for a vignette transfer. This costs £154.  If you have BRP card you do not need to do this.

You will need Police report, copy of visa/decision letter and evidence you are still studying at Swansea University (student statement from myunihub@swansea.ac.uk)

1. Update myunihub@swansea.ac.uk with new passport details.

If your 90 day visa vignette runs out before travel, the UKVI have stated that students will need to apply for a Single Entry vignette replacement. This has a cost of £154 and you will have to resubmit your biometrics. Information on that process can be found on the UKVI Covid Concessions page and is reproduced in the 'What to do if your vignette has run out' section below:

If you are a student and your 90 day student visa vignette has expired

If your 90 day visa vignette has expired and you either:

• have been unable to travel due to coronavirus, but have been undertaking your studies remotely from overseas and intend to travel to study the same course in the UK
• have completed an eligible course by distance learning under coronavirus concessions and are coming to the UK by the relevant date to apply under the Graduate route. Read the guidance for further information

You will need to make a paid application for a vignette transfer by completing the online form. The cost of replacing an expired 90 day vignette is £154 and you will need to make an appointment to resubmit your biometric information.

If your 90 day visa vignette has expired and you either:

• have deferred your course start date due to coronavirus but have been unable to undertake your studies remotely, meaning that your course cannot be completed during your existing visa period, and you now intend to travel to the UK
• can still complete your course within the dates covered by your existing visa period, but your course end date has changed, and you would like a new visa with a revised end date

You will need to submit a new paid student visa application with a new Certificate of Acceptance of Study (CAS) to cover the revised dates of your course. You will also need to make an appointment to resubmit your biometric information.

Please note: do not travel before the start date on your visa vignette. If you do this, you will either not be let into the UK, would be stamped in as  temporary Visitor (if your Nationality permits) or will be let in to the country but will have no formal immigration status. If you enter the UK under any of those circumstances, the University will not legally be able to enrol you (or keep you enrolled). You may have to leave the UK and re-enter once your Student visa permission becomes valid. The UKVI are very strict about this and may not let you 'switch' status inside the UK. This situation may be especially difficult if there are travel restrictions in place.