UK Extends Expired BRP Validity Until End of 2026 for eVisa Services

The United Kingdom has once again pushed back a key deadline in its shift to a fully digital immigration system, giving many visa holders more time to rely on expired physical immigration documents.

Expired Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) will now remain usable for most eVisa services until December 31, 2026. The documents were previously due to stop being accepted in June 2026.

For thousands of international students, skilled workers, and family visa holders living in the UK, the extension offers extra breathing room while they transition to the government’s digital immigration platform.

What Expired BRPs Can Still Be Used For

The extension applies only to access to most eVisa services. However, expired BRPs cannot be used for:

• Right to Work checks
• Right to Rent checks
• EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) purposes
• Individuals granted immigration status after the BRP issuance ended, who never received a BRP
• Individuals whose BRP has been lost

Anyone in these categories will need to rely on their digital immigration status instead.

Expired BRCs Get a Longer Lifeline

The UK has also revised rules for expired Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs). Under the updated arrangements:

• Expired BRCs will remain valid until December 31, 2026 for non-EUSS purposes.
• Expired BRCs will remain valid until December 31, 2030 for EUSS purposes.

That second deadline is new. Earlier plans would have ended acceptance of expired BRCs for all purposes after December 2026.

Why the UK Keeps Extending These Deadlines

The UK began phasing out physical BRPs and BRCs in 2024 as part of its move toward a digital immigration system centred on eVisas.

Yet the government has repeatedly extended transition periods, suggesting that many residents are still adapting to the new process. When immigration systems go digital, governments often discover that the last stretch is harder than the first.

For foreign nationals living in Britain, the message is clear: physical documents may still work in certain situations, but the UK’s long-term direction remains firmly digital. Anyone who has not yet linked their immigration status to a UKVI account should avoid waiting until the final deadline.

Travelobiz Take

We see this as a practical extension rather than a policy shift. It gives visa holders extra time, but I would still move to an eVisa early and avoid last-minute problems.