If you were granted leave to remain after 1 January 2020, you may have received a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) that has an incorrect expiry date. Instead of being the date your grant of leave expires, it is 31/12/24. If this is the case, do not worry.
What Do I Need to Do if My BRP Expires on 31 December 2024?
If your BRP has an expiry date of 31/12/24, and your grant of leave (e.g. your visa) expires after this date, you do not need to do anything.
Whilst your BRP card will expire on 31 December 2024, your immigration status will not be affected. As a result, you will still be able to access services and receive benefits linked to your immigration status.
How Can I Prove the Correct Expiry Date of My Leave?
When you were granted your leave to remain, you should have been issued a letter by the Home Office. This letter confirms when your leave expires. This may be stated as a timeframe rather than a date (e.g. you leave has been granted for 30 months).
You can use this letter as confirmation of the expiry date of your leave.
To prove your status to an employer or a landlord, you would not need to provide the letter as evidence. This is because they will carry out an online right to work or rent check on your behalf.
How Will I Prove My Immigration Status After My BRP Has Expired?
From 1 January 2025, you will not need a physical BRP card to prove your immigration status. You will instead be able to do this solely online. The Home Office has not yet confirmed how this process will work, however they have stated that an update will be provided in early 2024.
It is likely that the Home Office will adopt an online system being used for some applications. To view their immigration status, individuals can enter a ‘share code.
What Other Changes Have Been Happening?
In the last few years, the Home Office has been moving its immigration operations online. This started with applications, which were moved to online forms. These changes were introduced as the Home Office believed this would make applications easier and more straightforward. However, many clients come to us expressing frustration at the application process and the government website, which is often unclear and prone to glitches.
In addition, the Home Office has come under fire for its move to a digital system. In April 2021, a court case argued that the changes were discriminatory. This is because many of the individuals who would be making immigration applications would be unable to use or have no access to technology. Whilst this case was unsuccessful, and later measures were brought out to reduce the impact of digital only immigration status, it remains to be seen whether these are enough.