Biometric Residence Permit

A Biometric Residence Permit, often shortened to BRP, is a credit-card-sized document that confirms your legal status in a country. It carries an embedded chip holding biometric data, typically your photograph and fingerprints, along with your name, date of birth, and the conditions of your stay, such as whether you’re allowed to work or how long the permit is valid.

When you move abroad, this card usually becomes your main proof of status once you’ve actually arrived. A visa in your passport often only gets you to the border; the permit you collect afterwards is what lets you open a bank account, sign a lease, start a job, or register with local health services. It’s closely tied to the broader idea of a residence permit, and the exact name and format vary from country to country. The UK is the big exception: every BRP has now expired, the cards have been replaced by a digital eVisa held in a UKVI account, and an expired BRP can only be used for a narrow set of things while the transition finishes. EU member states still issue a chipped residence card in a shared format, and other countries issue similar cards under their own names.

The catch most people miss is the gap between approval and collection. Where a physical card is still issued, you’re often expected to collect it in person within a tight window after you arrive, sometimes only a matter of days, from a designated post office or immigration office. Miss it, or let the card expire while you’re still living there, and you can face fines or trouble proving your status, even though your underlying right to stay hasn’t changed. If you’re on a longer-term route such as a digital nomad visa, check whether a separate permit card is issued and what your collection and renewal duties are.

Rules differ widely, so confirm the specifics for your destination before you travel. You can start with the free visa checker to see what a country typically requires. This is general information, not advice, confirm the details with the official immigration source or a qualified professional.

Where you’ll meet this

• At a post office or immigration centre, queuing to collect your card within days of landing in a country that still issues one.
• Setting up a UKVI account to reach your eVisa, because your old UK BRP has expired and no longer proves your status on its own.
• At a bank or estate agent, where staff ask to see your permit before opening an account or approving a rental.
• In a renewal reminder, when your card’s expiry date approaches and you need to reapply before it lapses.