Do I ABSOLUTELY need my BRP to *leave* the UK?

I just received back my passport and letter approving my PSW visa this morning.

I booked flights leaving the UK very tightly soon after when I would receive my visa (see I thought I'd get my visa when I got my passport back, but no, ok, another up-to ten days of waiting - my fault, I know, I should have read the fine print.....)

What are the chances I will have to show my BRP to immigration when I plan to LEAVE the uk next week?

I was hoping to risk it and have a friend post my BRP to me while I'm away, so I'd have it for my way back - but maybe that's too much of a risk and I will waste my time packing my bags and not delaying my flight while I still can - or maybe if I explain to them, they let me go through and say it's my own fault if I don't have my BRP on my way back????? Somehow I doubt that though, the guidelines state "You must take your permit with you if you go abroad while you have permission to stay in the UK".....they probably will ask to see it, the first time I leave UK with my new visa, right?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Do I ABSOLUTELY need my BRP to *leave* the UK?

You may - if there are exit controls at the port you are leaving for.
You may not - if there are no exit controls at the port you are leaving from.

But you definitely need a BRP to travel back to UK.

sushdmehta wrote:You may - if there are exit controls at the port you are leaving for.
You may not - if there are no exit controls at the port you are leaving from.

But you definitely need a BRP to travel back to UK.

Sushdmehta, how do you find if the port has exit controls, and how stringent they are? Cheers.

I was also thinking of have the BRP couriered out of the UK where I'll be.

thanks for that info! how do i figure out whether there are 'exit controls' at the 'port' which I will use? (port meaning what? terminal?)

I depart from heathrow terminal 3. thx for any pointers/links.

frenchglen wrote:thanks for that info! how do i figure out whether there are 'exit controls' at the 'port' which I will use? (port meaning what? terminal?)

I depart from heathrow terminal 3. thx for any pointers/links.

Hi guys, I am not aware of any exit controls anywhere...?I have travelled for years using heathrow, luton, gatwick... never had any controls anywhere.

In any case, I am not sure how you guys think sending the card back home, as to EVEN give you the card, courier will ask for personal signature and ID, so your friend can't take the card anyway.

As for rerouting the courier overseas, why don't you call the number in approval letter and ask how it works?

To correct myself, it is possible to have someone else pick up the card, but you must name them as such a person, the company must know.

Also, they will still need your ID of some kind to pick it up.

It depends.

You almost certainly won't need it to leave the country. No one will stop you leaving the country because you don't have a BRP. If however you are stopped on the way out by UKBA, and that would only be because you don't have a valid visa and are suspected of overstaying,then all you have to do is explain the situation and provide them with the copy of the PSW approval letter.You may be delayed whilst they check the UKBA database.

As regards re-entry,it would depend on if you are a visa or non-visa national. If you are a visa national then the problem would stem from how you board your flight and convince the airline to carry you without a valid visa.They won't, without prior approval from UKBA as they will be fined. If you are a non-visa national then no such problem will arise. All you need to do on arrival is explain your situation to the IO, produce the said PSW approval and exercise patience whilst the database is checked.

Honestly it is no biggie.You won't be the first or last to travel without a Resident's permit.

INSIDER wrote:It depends.

You almost certainly won't need it to leave the country. No one will stop you leaving the country because you don't have a BRP. If however you are stopped on the way out by UKBA, and that would only be because you don't have a valid visa and are suspected of overstaying,then all you have to do is explain the situation and provide them with the copy of the PSW approval letter.You may be delayed whilst they check the UKBA database.

As regards re-entry,it would depend on if you are a visa or non-visa national. If you are a visa national then the problem would stem from how you board your flight and convince the airline to carry you without a valid visa.They won't, without prior approval from UKBA as they will be fined. If you are a non-visa national then no such problem will arise. All you need to do on arrival is explain your situation to the IO, produce the said PSW approval and exercise patience whilst the database is checked.

Honestly it is no biggie.You won't be the first or last to travel without a Resident's permit.

I agree with insider here, it seems doable. Especially if you are a non visa national, should be possible. Have you tried calling the delivery company to see about delivering back home? Don't know if that can be done...

fibreman wrote:

INSIDER wrote:It depends.

You almost certainly won't need it to leave the country. No one will stop you leaving the country because you don't have a BRP. If however you are stopped on the way out by UKBA, and that would only be because you don't have a valid visa and are suspected of overstaying,then all you have to do is explain the situation and provide them with the copy of the PSW approval letter.You may be delayed whilst they check the UKBA database.

As regards re-entry,it would depend on if you are a visa or non-visa national. If you are a visa national then the problem would stem from how you board your flight and convince the airline to carry you without a valid visa.They won't, without prior approval from UKBA as they will be fined. If you are a non-visa national then no such problem will arise. All you need to do on arrival is explain your situation to the IO, produce the said PSW approval and exercise patience whilst the database is checked.

Honestly it is no biggie.You won't be the first or last to travel without a Resident's permit.

I agree with insider here, it seems doable. Especially if you are a non visa national, should be possible. Have you tried calling the delivery company to see about delivering back home? Don't know if that can be done...

the BRP is delivered by courier so there is no chance they will deliver it overseas.

Greenie wrote:

fibreman wrote:

INSIDER wrote:It depends.

You almost certainly won't need it to leave the country. No one will stop you leaving the country because you don't have a BRP. If however you are stopped on the way out by UKBA, and that would only be because you don't have a valid visa and are suspected of overstaying,then all you have to do is explain the situation and provide them with the copy of the PSW approval letter.You may be delayed whilst they check the UKBA database.

As regards re-entry,it would depend on if you are a visa or non-visa national. If you are a visa national then the problem would stem from how you board your flight and convince the airline to carry you without a valid visa.They won't, without prior approval from UKBA as they will be fined. If you are a non-visa national then no such problem will arise. All you need to do on arrival is explain your situation to the IO, produce the said PSW approval and exercise patience whilst the database is checked.

Honestly it is no biggie.You won't be the first or last to travel without a Resident's permit.

I agree with insider here, it seems doable. Especially if you are a non visa national, should be possible. Have you tried calling the delivery company to see about delivering back home? Don't know if that can be done...

the BRP is delivered by courier so there is no chance they will deliver it overseas.

Ok, good that you have confirmed that... probably it is too late now, but I guess only remaining option was to risk going without brp or naming someone else to pick it up and send it wherever needed.

fibreman wrote:

frenchglen wrote:thanks for that info! how do i figure out whether there are 'exit controls' at the 'port' which I will use? (port meaning what? terminal?)

I depart from heathrow terminal 3. thx for any pointers/links.

Hi guys, I am not aware of any exit controls anywhere...?I have travelled for years using heathrow, luton, gatwick... never had any controls anywhere.

They had exit checks at Heathrow Terminal 4 about a month ago when I flew out. I've been checked once or twice before(both at Heathrow), sometimes there are checks but more often there are not.

Not sure how the above turned out, but I am in a similar situation.

Current Tier 1 (General) visa expires early May but I got an extension successfully approved at the Croydon PEO last Wednesday (March 14th). I was advised the BRP typically arrives 2-5 working days after approval but I have not received it yet.

I urgently need to travel this Saturday for a week and was thus wondering whether this will still be possible, like INSIDER said above, just to present the approval letter would be sufficient on arrival back to the UK?

The current Tier 1 (General) visa in the Passport was not crossed out so still shows early May as when it expires. I do not know (or should I say won't know) until the BRP arrives whether the extension will start from the date of approval (i.e. March 14th) or from the expiration date. The approval occurred just under 8 weeks before expiration so not sure if that has any influence?

Appreciate your thoughts on the above!

Hi all,

Not sure if anyone actually managed to travel without their biometric permit and what their experience was when coming back to the UK.

I applied for a tier 1 renewal and was granted my renewal on Nov 7. My old visa is valid until Dec 1 and I urgently need to travel now and return on Nov 28. Was anyone able to travel without their biometric permit or will I have problems re-entering the UK.

Thanks for the help in advance.
Nikita

As I'm also waiting for my BRP card and need to travel pretty soon, this option (going abroad without the BRP card and then asking someone to send it to me abroad by registered mail) is something I've been considering.

Has anyone done so recently?

I am also in the same situation.
- Can I get someone pick my BRP in my absence?
- Before my old visa expires, can I re-enter UK without the new BRP?

Did anyone experiences these things? and what was the observation?