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Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

Visas for international students will be issued on a BRP. This article tells you the options for collecting your BRP and how you can arrange for it to be delivered to the University.

This information is for students who have applied for a Student visa from overseas for a course of 6 months or more. 

Student visas will no longer be issued as a vignette (sticker) in your passport.  Instead you will be issued with a 30 or 90 day entry permit in your passport which will enable you to enter the UK. In addition, you will receive a Home Office decision letter  outlining the conditions of your immigration leave and your visa expiry date.  This letter would have been sent to the address and email you included on your visa application.  Please bring this letter and email to the UK and keep it in a safe place throughout your studies here in the UK. 

Your visa will be issued in the form of a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). The BRP is similar in size to a credit card with a chip and includes your photo, immigration status and any conditions of your leave in the UK.

Prove your status without a BRP

Prove your right to work

Prove your right to rent

**If your BRP expires on 31 December 2024**

You will not need a BRP from 1 January 2025. You’ll be able to prove your immigration status online, without a BRP.

UKVI will update their information on how to prove your immigration status in early 2024. You do not need to do anything and your immigration status will not be affected.

Delivery to The University

We recommend you choose this option.

  1. We gave you an Alternative Collection Location code (ACL)  2HE462 along with your CAS.
  2. Enter the code in the Alternative Location box as you apply for your visa online, click Find and when our address appears, click Confirm
  3. Your BRP will be delivered to the University around the time you travel to the UK.  There is no guarantee it will arrive before you do. If your BRP is delivered to the university you will be able to pick up your BRP during your face to face registration.

    If you are unable to pick up your BRP during your face to face registration this likely means we have not received your BRP or it has not been processed. Even if you have received notification from the courier that your BRP has been delivered to the University that doesn’t mean you can collect it straight away. It takes time to process a BRP before we can make it available for collection.

    When your BRP card is ready you will be sent an email advising you how to collect it.  Please do not email asking if your BRP is ready to collect as this only slows down the processing.

Delivery to a local Post Office

Alternatively, if you do not enter our ACL code, your BRP will be delivered to a local Post Office.

The nearest local Post Office for BRP collection is in Hatfield town centre.

36 Town Centre, Hatfield, AL10 0LD

You must make your own arrangements to collect your BRP from the Post Office. 

What to bring with you

When you collect your BRP, you will need to show:

  • Your original Passport (not a copy)
  • The Home Office decision letter you received telling you your visa application was successful

You may be asked for your UK address and phone number so make sure you know what these are.

Change the delivery location

Once you have completed your online visa application you will not be able to change the delivery location from The University to the local Post Office or from the local Post Office to The University.

If your BRP is to be delivered to a Post Office, you may be able to arrange for it to be transferred to a Post Office branch closer to where you live but the Post Office will charge you for this service.

Dependants

If you have dependants accompanying you and have chosen to collect their BRPs from the university, please complete this form (one submission per dependant). Please note that this form requires you to log in with a UH account, this may mean that you have to complete stage 1 registration before you are able to fill in the form.

When we have received your dependant's BRP, we will contact you via the details that you provide on the form, with details on when and how you may collect it.

You (as the student) are responsible for collecting your dependant's BRP, though they may accompany you if they wish. You must bring their original passport (not a copy) and their Home Office decision letter in order for the document to be issued. 

Dependant BRPs can arrive at different times to the main applicant.

Under 18

If you are under 18 and collecting your BRP from the Post Office then someone over the age of 18 must come with you when you collect your card.  This must be either:

If you have asked for your BRP to be delivered to the University then you will be able to collect it on your own.

Problem with your BRP

If there is a mistake on your 30 or 90 day entry permit you should contact the Visa Application Centre before you travel to the UK.

If there is a problem collecting your BRP or you notice an error on your BRP card, contact Student Immigration Team (Advice) using the details below.

Lost or stolen BRP

If your BRP card is lost or stolen you must report the loss or theft to the Police and obtain a crime reference number. You will then need to report this to the Home Office so it can be cancelled and apply for a replacement BRP if you have more than 3 months left on your visa. Please see our Lost or stolen BRP card  page for more information.

Contact Us

Student Immigration Team (Advice)

Student Immigration Team (Advice & Compliance)

Today 2pm - 3:30pm
Wednesday at DeHav Hub
Ask Herts (Hutton Hub), College Lane