Find out what to do if your travel documents or biometric residence permit (BRP) are missing.
What to do
If your passport or BRP is lost or stolen, how you resolve this depends on what documents are missing and where you are. However, there are some basic steps to follow in all situations:
Check your passport or BRP is definitely lost
Check that the Passport or BRP is definitely lost. Lost property is often handed into the police or on campus. Alternatively, try retracting your steps to see if you can find it.
On Campus lost property is done per building, so please check with the relevant building reception where you think you lost it.
Report it to the police
If it was lost or stolen locally, visit your nearest police station as soon as possible. After you fill out a form, you’ll be issued with a crime reference number, which will be important for applying for replacement documents.
If it was lost or stolen while in transit or you are not sure where exactly the document was lost, Sussex Police have confirmed that you can report it at a local police station even if it was not originally lost in the local area.
When you arrive at the police station, at the front desk you will need to state that you have lost your document and the staff member will take your details and create a report which you will be able to take with you.
Important: Once your BRP is reported as lost, if you find it again it will have been cancelled and therefore you will not be able to use it to travel back into the country.
Tell us
Inform our UKVI Compliance team that you have lost your BRP or passport.
Undergraduate and Masters Students: studentprogressvisa@sussex.ac.uk.
PHD students: researchstudentvisas@sussex.ac.uk.
If you have any travel plans or are currently abroad, please submit a query form to the International Advice team.
Lost passport
If you have lost your passport you will need to contact your Embassy who will advise on the process to obtain a new one. Every country is different and the processes may vary.
Browse a list of embassies in the UK.
Browse a list of embassies outside the UK.
Once you have received a new passport you must let both the University and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) know of these updated details. View UKVI contact details.
Important: Once you receive your new passport you must update the new passport details to your UKVI account so that your eVisa is transferred to your new passport.
Lost biometric residence permit
You must report the loss to UKVI. After you have reported your BRP lost, your it will be cancelled.
Lost Biometric Residence Permit outside the UK
Follow these steps if you have lost your biometric residence permit (BRP) card outside the UK, or think it’s been stolen.
- report the loss to the UKVI using their online form
- activate your eVisa or apply for a replacement BRP visa if you cannot do this. Use the UKVI instructions to do this.
Lost Biometric Residence Permit inside the UK
Follow these steps if you have lost your biometric residence permit (BRP) card in the UK, or think it’s been stolen.
- report it to the UKVI using their online form
- activate your eVisa.
If you have travel plans
To avoid having to cancel a trip, don’t make any travel plans until you’ve activated your Student visa, or if applicable, applied for a replacement BRP visa.
You cannot re-enter the UK without a valid passport and appropriate studying visa. You cannot study on a Standard Visitor visa.
If you already have travel plans, please submit a query form to the International Advice team.
What to do when you get replacements
Submit your new documents to UKVI Compliance at the University:
For Undergraduates and Master students: studentprogressvisa@sussex.ac.uk
For PhD students: researchstudentvisas@sussex.ac.uk
If you have a new passport, you must update the new passport details to your UKVI account so that your eVisa is transferred to your new passport.
Keeping your documents safe
We often deal with many cases where passports and visas have been lost or stolen – both in the UK and overseas. If you need further support do not hesitate to contact us.
It is better to store it securely where you are staying – for example, in a safe in your hotel. Do not carry your passport or visa with you unless you need it to cross a border.
There is also government travel advice on what to be aware of when travelling to a new country.