Lost documents
The information on this webpage explains what to do in the event that your documents are lost or stolen. When you receive a new identity or immigration document, you should send a copy to the Student Enquiry Centre so that your record can be updated.
My passport has expired
My passport expired in the UK
Contact your embassy in London to obtain a new one.
If your immigration permission was on an entry clearance or residence permit sticker (vignette) in your passport, you are not required to apply to transfer your immigration permission to your new passport. You can travel to and from the UK using your new and old passports, but you must carry both documents.
If you have an eVisa, you can update your passport details on your UKVI account to ensure straight forward international travel.
My passport expired outside the UK
If you receive a new passport when you are overseas, you need to update your UKVI digital account if you have an eVisa. You should also inform the Immigration Compliance Team at Queen Mary about your new passport details so that your record can be updated. You can email them: immigrationcompliance@qmul.ac.uk .
If your passport is lost/stolen
My passport was lost/stolen in the UK
If your passport has been lost or stolen in, report it to the police immediately. You should do this at your local police station or online. For details go to the Metropolitan Police website.
You will need to complete a form explaining what happened. The police will give you a copy and if your passport was stolen, they will give you a crime reference number. This is an important document. Please note that you will not get a crime reference number if you have lost your passport or if your passport has been damaged.
Contact your embassy in London to obtain a replacement passport. If your passport has been stolen, you may need your police report to do this but make sure you keep a copy.
My passport is lost/stolen outside the UK
Contact your country's embassy or high commission in the country where you are now, to arrange for a replacement passport.
If your immigration permission was issued on an entry clearance or residence permit sticker (vignette) for the duration of your stay in the UK, you will need to apply for a "Vignette Transfer". See UKCISA's guidance for more information.
When your passport is issued, you should inform UKVI the new passport details by updating your new passport details on your UKVI digital account.
My BRP is lost or stolen
If your BRP is lost, stolen or damaged you should report this on the online form on the UK government website. You should be sure your document is lost/stolen before making the report as it will be cancelled immediately, and it won’t be valid even if you find it again. The Home Office will contact you within one working day from reporting it.
To prove your status in the UK without a BRP, you will need to create your UKVI to access your eVisa. An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status which you can use to prove your status, instead of a biometric residence permit (BRP). Having access to your eVisa will allow you to prove your rights in the UK without the need of a physical document and will ensure straightforward international travel.
If you are a visa national overseas with access to your eVisa, you should contact the airline to ask if they would allow you travel to the UK without your BRP. If the airline refuse to let you travel, you must apply for apply for a replacement BRP visa.
If you are travelling to the UK after 31 December 2024, airlines shouldn't refuse travel if you have access to your eVisa.
What do I do if I don't receive my decision letter/email?
If your visa was successful but you didn't receive your decision letter, please check your spam folder, if you cannot find it, email DecisionLetterRequests@fcdo.gov.uk to request a copy, don't forget to provide your personal details and GWF.
What do I do if my old immigration permission was about to expire?
If your leave is valid for less than eight weeks, and you would have been making an extension application in the UK anyway, you can apply to extend your stay in the UK with your new blank passport (without completing either of the forms explained above) completing the appropriate form to extend your leave. We advise you to contact a welfare adviser who can help you with the application.
We understand that if you are due to leave the UK within eight weeks of losing your visa vignette, you are not required to submit a TOC form. In this case, your old passport (if you still have it), a copy of your visa vignette and/or any letter from UKVI with your permission to be here are evidence of your status.
