Biometric Residence Permits
From 25th November 2008 onwards, instead of being issued with a visa extension in the form of a sticker in their passport, students and their dependants will be issued with an extension in the form of a separate card called a Biometric Residence Permit or BRP (formally known as an Identity Card for Foreign Nationals or ICFN).
What are they?
BRPs will provide information that will help public agencies, employers and educational establishments more easily understand the migrant’s entitlements.
To create the BRP, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) will collect fingerprints and a facial image, otherwise known as biometrics.
Why are they being introduced?
Taking an image of a person’s face and fingerprints and then locking them to that person’s details on a national register provides a very safe and secure way of identifying that person and helps to combat illegal working and reduce illegal immigration to the UK. The card will provide a convenient, extremely secure and widely accepted way for any foreign national to prove their immigration status.
What does the BRP look like?
It is the shape of a credit card and shows the cardholder’s photo on the front, together with personal details and information about their immigration status. It shows whether the cardholder is allowed to do any work and if they are required to register with the police. The card includes a microchip which contains two of the cardholder’s fingerprints, and the photo on the front is a digital photo.
Will foreign nationals have to carry their BRP at all times?
The BRP does not need to be carried at all times. However, the card will need to be produced for specified immigration purposes such as returning to the UK from travelling abroad.
How long will a BRP be valid for?
Identity cards will be valid for the duration of the person’s limited leave, or for a maximum of 10 years.
What will I need to do if I am making a postal student visa extension application?
The way the process will work with postal applications is that the UKBA will wait until they have processed the fee for the extension application before writing to ask you (and your dependants) to make an appointment to attend one of 7 centres, to give fingerprints and have a facial image taken (the centres are in Croydon, Sheffield, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and Armagh).
You must respond straight away to any letters from the UKBA asking you to make an appointment to give your fingerprints and have your photo taken. You must book an appointment within 5 working days of the date of the letter and attend the appointment within 15 working days. If you do not respond in time, they are allowed to refuse or disregard your extension application. This could result in you not being able to stay in the UK. For this reason, it is sensible not to move address while you are waiting for an extension application to be processed. You will have to prioritise attending the appointment over everything else, however important those things are.
You will probably receive your documents from the UKBA before your receive your BRP. Remember that you do not have your visa extension until you have the card, which will be sent by post later. Do not make any arrangements to travel until you have the card, as you do not know how long it will take. Normally you should receive your BRP within 4 weeks of attending your biometric appointment.
What will I need to do if I am making a premium in-person student visa extension application?
If you are going to make your extension application in person, you will probably have your fingerprints and photo taken during the appointment at the Public Enquiry Office. You will not be given your student extension (the BRP) on the day of the appointment, but will have to wait for it to be sent to you by post later- normally within 10 working days.
Remember that you do not have your visa extension until you have the card. Do not make any arrangements to travel until you have the BRP.
What will I need to do when leaving and re-entering the UK?
If you have an BRP and you leave the UK and want to re-enter, you will be required to show it at the border (together with your national passport) to confirm your immigration status.
What if my personal details change?
Anyone holding an BRP will be required to notify the UKBA of changes to the personal data it holds. Draft legislation sets out fines payable by anyone who fails to comply. The personal details which must be kept up to date include name, address, nationality and gender.
What will happen if I lose my BRP?
If you lose your BRP then you can apply for a replacement card at a cost of £30. Biometrics would have to be given again. If the card is lost abroad, then you should contact the nearest Entry Clearance Office. They may be able to issue a one-way vignette (sticker in your passport) to enable you to travel back to the UK where a replacement BRP can then be applied for.
Fines will apply if cardholders fail to report their cards lost or stolen, and will be enforceable by the civil courts.
What are the benefits of the BRP?
It will make it easier to:
- provide proof of your right to live in the UK
- prove your identity safely and quickly where and whenever this is required
- get a job as potential employers can use the card to check future employees’ identity and employment status quickly and easily.
Where can I find more information?
Further information about the cards, including pictures of what they will look like, is available on the UK Border Agency website(UK Border Agency website.
The UK Border Agency has issued a document headed ‘Identity Cards for Foreign Nationals – useful information’. You can find a link to it under the explanation about identity cards that appears in the student area of the UKCISA website.
UKVisas have provided a short video about providing your biometrics on YouTube.
