HELP! Travel after declaring BRP stolen/lost outside UK

[natalielost]

Hi,

I'm an Australian resident on a Tier 5 Youth mobility visa- I had my BRP stolen along with my wallet while traveling in Ukraine.

I'm declared my BRP stolen to UK Visas and told me to apply for a single entry visa.
I followed the link they gave me, but it took me to a general visa page, which didn't have clear instructions nor the option to apply for the visa I needed.

I submitted a form for a 'replacement BRP' through Visas4UK but I'm not sure if it was the right form because it did not even ask for a police report or let me aknowledge anywhere that I am already on a visa and had it stolen.
It was very long and had a bunch of questions I wasn't sure how to answer right
For example- 'how much are spending on this trip'. I had no idea what trip they were talking about- my plans to continue living in the UK?

I am yet to attend the appointment but I heard they take away your passport and it could take three weeks.
If I give them my passport I have no id whatsoever. Not even a bank card. (everything was stolen).

I was then instructed to register with the local visa agency, which I tried, but the problem is that I'm in Ukraine this agency doesn't have an option for a a replacement BRP permit.

There is no mention of how long it even takes to get this single entry visa.

I need the visa now- i have no access to my bank accounts, no id other than my passport. I heard it takes up to three weeks to get the single entry visa.

I can't survive in a foreign country with no access to money for three weeks.

I'd like to know how long did it take you to get your single entry visa.

And would it at all be possible to travel to the UK and explain my situation at the border if I show them the police report, emails and passport (which is all I have left aside from my clothes, laptop and mobile)??

Has anyone successfully got through border control without a single entry visa after declaring BRP lost?
What are the risks? Could it affect my application for a BRP when I get back to the UK?

If i have to wait for three weeks for the single replacement visa (and possible longer if it wasn't the right form) I will have no money for food or accomodation.

Please Help!

(I know there are other topics discussing similar issues, but I can't find one with advice for my situation).

[noajthan]

Most unfortunate.

How are you travelling?
It may prove hard or impossible to get boarded onto a flight with no obvious UK visa.
It probably helps being visafree (Australian).

In meantime, check out English bars for friendly folks who may help. I know someone who got in a pickle overseas and English soccer fans lent a hand.
('Back in the day', churches and embassies used to fulfill a similar role, not sure its the case nowadays).

Good luck.

[The Station Agent]

This just goes to show what a folly it was for the UK government to stop stamping the passport for the whole validity of the visa. This system where they stamp you for 1 month visa and then the BRP replaces that stamp; it's crazy. Why not just stamp the passport for the whole term as well? Then you'd have that as a back-up?

I know this is of no help to you, though - I'm just making a point. If I were you I would try my best to speak to someone at the British consulate - that's hard nowadays because they direct you away and don't answer some of their phone lines. But try going down there to see someone, pleading your case. They might be able to give you some kind of travel document which gets you back in so you can get your new BRP here. It helps if you didn't lose your passport with the original visa in it.

[natalielost]

Hi noajthan- boarding the flight is no problem - i know they will let me on. It's just getting through the UK border.
Will they let me in if I just show them that I am still on this visa and that I did nothing wrong, etc?
If they let me in/or even if they don't let me in, does that jeopardise my replacement BRP application?
I'm traveling by plane.

I have my passport with my original visa sticker in it- but that visa sticker is dated back to last October and it says it's valid for a month and then I need to use my BRP for work/travel.

I've called the British embassy/consulate and even the help number which costs 1.37 pounds a minute. But no one has any advice. They all say the same thing. Go the UK visas website for advice. And that has no advice for my situation.

Furthermore, Because I was traveling I don't even have any documents to support my application, other than my passport so I don't know if the application will be declared invalid.

[The Station Agent]

Does anyone you know have access to a copy of the BRP? That would help. Even the unique BRP number.

I'd say go for it - plead your case at the border. They can check your story is correct and verify you had a valid BRP.

[natalielost]

I do have my BRP number- when I declared the BRP stolen, they sent it to me. But I also have the original letter, which I had on me accidentally.
UK Visas though, declared that number had been cancelled and is now invalid.

A while back I actually managed to get into the country without my BRP card (but the brp was still active then). I'm not sure if anything changes once it's cancelled.

UK visas said it advises against travel without single entry visa...but what choice do I have really?

[natalielost]

I do have my BRP number- when I declared the BRP stolen, they sent it to me. But I also have the original letter, which I had on me accidentally.
UK Visas though, declared that number had been cancelled and is now invalid.

A while back I actually managed to get into the country without my BRP card (but the brp was still active then). I'm not sure if anything changes once it's cancelled.

UK visas said it advises against travel without single entry visa...but what choice do I have really?

[The Station Agent]

Exactly. It would be harsh to have to sit in a foreign country weeks longer than you'd planned just to get a visa that entitles you to do what you're already entitled to do. You're an Australian passport holder, right? So a visa is not required to get on the flight. You could perhaps spend a couple of days in Dublin on the way back to the UK. Then on your flight from Dublin to the UK there is no UK border control to demand your BRP. Once you're back in, get your new BRP and get on with your life.

[Loki89]

Hey guys!

URGENT!

What was the result of this?

Were you able to re-enter the UK without your temp single entry visa???

Loki

[Casa]

Hey guys!

URGENT!

What was the result of this?

Were you able to re-enter the UK without your temp single entry visa???

Loki

Member natalielost only posted 4 times and hasn't visited the forum since October 2016...almost 12 months ago.

[vinny]

One member has serious problems.

[oneoffusernametopost]

Hi all,

I am posting this to let me know what I did in a similar situation as I couldn't find much on this when I was freaking out about potentially not being let back into the UK. As a disclaimer, this is not official advice and is only what I did in my situation. I cannot guarantee that you will be let into the country if you follow my steps. I will not be logging in again to reply to any queries or follow ups.

I am from New Zealand and was on a UK Tier 5 youth mobility visa. I had been living in the UK for about a year and went on holiday to Athens where I was pickpocketed. My BRP card was stolen and I was freaking out about trying to get back on my flight and enter back into London through Gatwick airport. I only had 80 euro in cash left and no debit or credit cards. (I was at least lucky that I split my cash the day before but wish I left one of my debit cards with my back up cash).

The official guidance from the UK.GOV website is to cancel your BRP card immediately online and apply for a One-off Visa which cost similar to getting a passport issued abroad. You are restricted to getting advice during office hours which is frustrating. The British consulate will not help you as Visas are not their concern as this has been outsourced to a third party that manages the process. Also, as I was not a British citizen they wouldn't help me anyway. The New Zealand consulate also couldn't help as they do not help with visa problems only passports.

As stated above, visas are handled by a third-party provider which I believe make money off every step of the overly bureaucratic process. The BRP card is not your visa but proof of your Visa so why should I apply for a one-off visa that can take several weeks from a foreign country? - It should be noted you can of course pay crazy fees to prioritise your application but can still take at least one working week and filling the application form online is alone is similar to the long process you had to go through when applying for your original Visa.

In the end I decided to bite the bullet,I did cancel my BRP card online but decided to forgo the stupid one-off visa process and take my chances with the airline and border control at London Gatwick airport. I flew with Wizz Air which were meant to do a visa check during the mandatory check in of my carryon bag. I had to go through this process when I flew out of London, but the staff were more lax/lazy at Athens airport. I just went through security and straight to my gate and they just let me on without checking my Visa or my carryon bag. They didn't even stop to tell me off like staff usually do when people don't follow baggage guidance (always check your airlines baggage requirements and don't be that dick that hold things up for others). I have flown with Ryanair which require a visa check as well, the first time I flew with them I didn't know about the visa check, but I was running late so they just let me on the plane. Easyjet has never done a Visa check on me and I don’t think the do them at all.

So, I boarded in Athens and landed in Gatwick, filled in the landing card and went up to the border control officer’s kiosk. I explained my situation to the Border Control Officer and she was nice and empathetic towards my situation. I knew they would ask if I had a copy of my card which I emailed to myself in preparation. It pays to take photos of essential documents and I found a copy of mine that I has to send to a former employer as part of a background check. If you don’t have copies set aside maybe check your sent emails with an attachment filter with keywords like “visa” or “passport”. Anyway, she manually entered my card number and my file popped up, she asked for my thumbprint to verify that it was me. She then radioed her manager to ask what to do. He asked if the fingerprint matched and said it was OK if it did. I was allowed entry and that was that. I heard that this process is at the discretion of the Border Control Officer so I guess it depends if you get a nice one. The process was actually faster and easier than experiences I’ve had at Stansted with my BRP card.

I applied for a new BRP card when I got back home and made a claim with my travel insurance to cover the cost along with the money that was stolen. It should be noted that there are two costs incurred when applying for a new BRP card. The initial application cost which you pay upon applying online and then the cost of getting your fingerprints redone which you pay and get done at select post offices. Either wait to get to the fingerprinting stage before applying for your claim or update your insurance claim once you have done your fingerprints like I did. My claim was successful, and they have already paid me out.


Hopes this helps some out there.