Updating/replacing BRP card

Hi, my US husband has his ILR, but his BRP card expires in February 2023. We've just started the process of renewing the card, and we're pretty much having to re-do the entire ILR process... are we doing it wrong? We've booked a biometrics appointment for September, and now we're trying to find 10 years' worth of documentation. We were under the impression that renewing the card would be completely painless; but once he applied for citizenship, that would need all the documentation, etc.

If someone could help, I'd be so grateful. I posted here a lot when he was first applying for his Spouse Visa a decade ago, so I'm not sure if it still works the same way... the UK immigration system definitely seems more complicated!

Thanks so much.

Hi, my US husband has his ILR, but his BRP card expires in February 2023. We've just started the process of renewing the card, and we're pretty much having to re-do the entire ILR process... are we doing it wrong? We've booked a biometrics appointment for September, and now we're trying to find 10 years' worth of documentation. We were under the impression that renewing the card would be completely painless; but once he applied for citizenship, that would need all the documentation, etc.

If someone could help, I'd be so grateful. I posted here a lot when he was first applying for his Spouse Visa a decade ago, so I'm not sure if it still works the same way... the UK immigration system definitely seems more complicated!

Thanks so much.

How much have you paid?

Renew BRP here- https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/replace-expired-brp

Hi. Thank you so much for replying, I'm pulling my hair out!

We paid £75.20 for the card renewal (current one is valid until Feb 2023), and £213 for the biometrics appointment... have we done it wrong?

I just can't make heard nor tail of any of it.

Hi. Thank you so much for replying, I'm pulling my hair out!

We paid £75.20 for the card renewal (current one is valid until Feb 2023), and £213 for the biometrics appointment... have we done it wrong?

I just can't make heard nor tail of any of it.

The link above takes you to here. for replacing ILR BRP within the UK.

https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/biometric-residence-permit-replacement-service

You do always need biometrics. There are free appointments but they are few and far between.

I'd have gone with citizenship though to save replacing the BRP in the first place.

We couldn't really afford citizenship so we kept putting if off and now it feels like we're running out of time... can I ask you a question? We can save the money for that fairly quickly if we need to. Do you think we should cancel the BRP stuff and just apply for citizenship as soon as we have the money? As I said, his BRP runs out in February so have we left it too late? We just need to make sure he can stay.

Am really struggling with all of this so need to simplify it as much as possible. I don't even understand what documents we need to upload for the BRP renewal. I apologise, this is so basic and annoying. Just finding it very hard to cope with!

Even if his BRP expires, his ILR will not. It's just the card that has an expiry date, not his ILR... like a UK driving licence card does.... so actually, he could still apply for a new BRP after his current one has expired. It's just a good idea to always have a current one so that he can easily prove his immigration status in the UK.

His ILR itself will only expire if he moves away from the UK for more than 2 years and does not return to live here within that time.

Personally, if you can afford to apply for citizenship , I would advise doing so... mainly because it means he doesn't then have to worry about losing his ILR in the future (i.e. if you decide to move abroad), and it also gives him the right to vote in the UK.

Having said that, they are getting rid BRP cards completely on 1st January 2025, and it's all going digital, so if he doesn't apply for citizenship and you do renew the BRP,  the new one will only be valid for 2 years anyway, and will expire on 31st December 2024.

I don't even understand what documents we need to upload for the BRP renewal.

To be honest, I don't know what documents you need either.

The majority of people here on the forum have decided to apply for citizenship well before their ILR BRP expiry date, and since ILR cards are valid 10 years (or until 31st Dec 2024, whichever is sooner), I don't remember if anyone has ended up applying to renew one before applying for citizenship.

Even if his BRP expires, his ILR will not. It's just the card that has an expiry date, not his ILR... like a UK driving licence card does.... so actually, he could still apply for a new BRP after his current one has expired. It's just a good idea to always have a current one so that he can easily prove his immigration status in the UK.

His ILR itself will only expire if he moves away from the UK for more than 2 years and does not return to live here within that time.

Personally, if you can afford to apply for citizenship , I would advise doing so... mainly because it means he doesn't then have to worry about losing his ILR in the future (i.e. if you decide to move abroad), and it also gives him the right to vote in the UK.

Having said that, they are getting rid BRP cards completely on 1st January 2025, and it's all going digital, so if he doesn't apply for citizenship and you do renew the BRP,  the new one will only be valid for 2 years anyway, and will expire on 31st December 2024.

Hi, it's nice to see you after so many years! Thanks so much for replying.

I've cancelled the Biometrics appointment - I don't suppose we can cancel the BRP replacement, but they can keep the £75

We will start the Citizenship process instead, thank you so much. It doesn't seem any more demanding than getting a new BRP card, which is crazy.

Just a quick question - my passport expired and because of covid we weren't travelling so I haven't renewed it yet - is my (UK citizen) passport necessary for him to apply for citizenship?

Lastly, do you recommend we start the process asap? Like, today, if possible? Like I said, we just want to make sure he's not in any danger of running afoul of UK Immigration.

Thank you, both, so much.

Hi, it's nice to see you after so many years! Thanks so much for replying.

No problem .

I've cancelled the Biometrics appointment - I don't suppose we can cancel the BRP replacement, but they can keep the £75

I'm not sure actually - I know with actual visa applications, as long as you withdraw the application before attending biometrics, you can get a refund of the visa fee. I'm not sure if that's the case with replacement BRPs though, but it might be worth looking into: https://www.gov.uk/cancel-visa

We will start the Citizenship process instead, thank you so much. It doesn't seem any more demanding than getting a new BRP card, which is crazy.

Citizenship is extremely straightforward compared to applying for a visa... and almost no documents are required.

Basically, all you need to send are:
- applicant valid passport
- applicant BRP
- spouse's current, valid UK passport
- marriage certificate
- Life in the UK test pass certificate
- 2 referee forms
And
- if the applicant is self-employed, tax returns to show they have been paying their taxes

Just a quick question - my passport expired and because of covid we weren't travelling so I haven't renewed it yet - is my (UK citizen) passport necessary for him to apply for citizenship?

As mentioned in my list above, yes, you will need a current UK passport for the citizenship application

Be aware though that there is a backlog of passport applications at the moment and you'll need to allow 10 weeks to get a new one. One of my friends applied for a new passport in May, I think, and by late August she still didn't have it yet... and she was travelling to Italy on the 25th Aug. Luckily she managed to get hold of them and get it expedited... and picked it up on 24th Aug! (In comparison, I renewed my passport in Oct 2021 before the backlog and it only took 8 days from applying online to receiving the new passport.)

If you don't have a current passport, you may be able to use a number of other documents instead to prove your UK citizenship and ordinary residence, usually required are:
- your birth certificate
- your parents' birth certificates if you were born after 1st Jan 1983
- evidence of 3 years of ordinary residence in the UK

Lastly, do you recommend we start the process asap? Like, today, if possible? Like I said, we just want to make sure he's not in any danger of running afoul of UK Immigration.

I would get on your passport renewal ASAP.

For his citizenship, I would say that as long as he applies before his BRP expires, he should be fine, though if you can apply sooner, I would.

Bear in mind that having to renew your UK passport may mean you can't apply until December or January anyway.

We've cancelled everything (it looks like you can cancel the BRP replacement application - you just need to fill in the Return of Documents form, and give them your Fee Paid reference instead of a Case ID and then you wait a month to find out.) Gah.

We've applied for my new passport, and we'll apply for husband's citizenship as soon as the passport arrives.

I'm so mad at myself for leaving it to the last minute like this, though: it was such a cotton-headed ninnnymuggins thing to do. Thank you again so much for your help - you pretty much maintained my sanity today. Thank you HEAPS.

We've cancelled everything (it looks like you can cancel the BRP replacement application - you just need to fill in the Return of Documents form, and give them your Fee Paid reference instead of a Case ID and then you wait a month to find out.) Gah.

We've applied for my new passport, and we'll apply for husband's citizenship as soon as the passport arrives.

I'm so mad at myself for leaving it to the last minute like this, though: it was such a cotton-headed ninnnymuggins thing to do. Thank you again so much for your help - you pretty much maintained my sanity today. Thank you HEAPS.

That's great, definitely the smart thing to do. Hopefully your passport comes quickly.