BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) collection

When you are completing your Student Visa application form, you will choose a participating Post Office from which to collect your BRP (Biometric Residence Permit).

The form will normally default to the Whitechapel Post Office branch, which is nearest to Queen Mary’s main campus. Depending on which campus you will be studying at and where you will be living, this may not be the most convenient Post Office branch for you. You should choose the most convenient Post Office branch for where you are living or studying. 

You can enter an “Alternative Address Postcode” to select a different Post Office branch. 

Please note that there is no Alternative Collection Location (ACL) code for Queen Mary. 

When your Student immigration permission is granted, you will be issued with a visa decision letter explaining the student visa conditions. Normally, this letter will also confirm the date and Post Office location from which you can collect your BRP. Keep this letter safe for your reference. 

If your visa decision letter does not confirm the Post Office from which you can collect your BRP, you should check the payment section of your visa application form for the Post Office location. If you do not have a copy of your completed application, you should be able to log in to your UKVI account and access a pdf.  

You must usually collect your BRP within 10 days of arrival in the UK. You will collect your BRP card from the Post Office you selected on your visa application form. You need to take your passport and decision letter with you. 

Once you have collected your BRP card, check it is correct  straightaway. If there are any errors, refer to our guidance on how to correct the error. It is important that you do this immediately as there is a short period for you to correct errors.  

Once you have collected your BRP card, please put it somewhere safe. You do not usually need to carry it with you in the UK. If you lose it, it takes a long time to replace and can be expensive.  

Problems Collecting your BRP 

If you are unable to collect your BRP from the Post Office for any of the below reasons, you should report this to UKVI on the UK Government website.  

• If you do not know where to collect your BRP (for example you have lost your visa decision letter) 
• If your BRP is not available for collection on the date and at the Post Office indicated in your letter 
• If you have lost your passport or identity document 

You can report the problem collecting your BRP by completing a short online form on the UK Government website 

To report a problem collecting your BRP: 

1. Click on the UK Government website 
2. Scroll down to 'Report a Problem' and click on 'Report Now' 
3. Select "From a Post Office" for where you were asked to collect your BRP
4. Choose the option for why you couldn't collect your BRP and give a short description of the problem - If you lost your visa decision letter or never received it, select "I don't know which Post Office to collect my BRP from" and in the free text describe the problem "visa decision letter lost / never received"
5. Provide your name, date of birth, nationality and passport number
6. Provide your contact details (email) and submit the form. 

You should receive a response within five working days. 

Warning: Do not travel outside of the UK until you have collected your BRP. 

Location of Queen Mary’s campuses and Post Office branches (where you can collect your BRP from)