Passport & Visa Issues
If your passport has been lost, stolen or has expired, you need to replace it as soon as possible.
Lost or stolen passports
If your passport has been lost or stolen, in or outside the UK, you must contact the Police and get a Police report from them.
If you are in the UK, you should contact your Embassy in the UK to find out if anything else is required in order to replace your passport.
Once you have received your new passport you must have your visa (leave to remain) transferred to your new passport.
Transferring your visa into a new passport
If your visa gives you permission to live in the UK for a limited time (for example on a student visa), you can transfer your visa into your new passport* by completing Form TOC (Transfer of Conditions) from the UKBA webpages.
*This may not be possible outside the UK. If your current visa has been lost or stolen outside the UK, you may have to apply for a new visa before travelling to the UK.
In the UK, you can apply by post or in person at a Public Enquiry Office and you will be charged for the application (this is shown on the application form).
You must include a number of supporting documents with your application and these are listed in the TOC Guide.
For an application form and more information about how to apply to transfer your visa into your new passport, read the UKBA webpages.
If your passport expires: In the UK
If your passport is due to expire while you are in the UK then you contact your embassy in the UK for details of how to replace it before it expires.
If your passport expires: Outside the UK
If your passport expires whilst you are outside the UK but you still have a valid visa you do not have to transfer your current visa into your new passport before you travel.
The UK immigration authorities will accept that you still have leave to remain in the UK if you show both the new and old passport (containing your current visa) / UK residence permit when you enter the UK.
It is advisable to transfer your current visa to your new passport once you are in the UK (see above).
Replacing your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
If your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) has been lost or stolen you should replace it as soon as possible as your BRP is your visa to stay in the UK.
In order to replace your BRP if it has been lost or stolen, you must first contact UKBA on 0300 123 2412 so that they can cancel your permit, allowing you to apply for a replacement.
You should contact the Police station (preferably in the area the BRP was lost or stolen) and get a police report and reference number from them.
You should then download and print application form BRP (RC) from the UKBA website and once it is complete, send it to the address on the front of the form.
