Staying in UK for 6 months or more? New visa changes starting May 31

Sample of new UK Biometric Residence Permit for non-EEA nationals staying for six months or more. SAPEOPLE.COM PHOTO

LONDON – Starting this May 31, Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) will be issued to (non-European Economic Area national) visa applicants from the Philippines who are going to the UK for six months or longer.

The purpose of the BRP is to provide evidence of your immigration status. It will be necessary to show your valid BRP to access public services and benefits in the UK, as well as prove your entitlement to work in the country.

These changes, announced earlier this month by UK government, will mostly affect workers seeking employment visas, students applying for a Tier 4 student visa, or Filipino nationals seeking to join their families in the UK.

No changes for short stay

For those applying to take a holiday, short study or business trip, a BRP will not be necessary as a simple visit visa is sufficient for your stay.

The application process and cost remains essentially the same. However, if traveling to the UK for more than six months, you will need to give extra information including the postcode of your UK address.

The most significant difference is that once you have arrived in the UK, you will need to collect your BRP from a Post Office within the first 10 days.

After supplying your new address on the application form, you will receive a decision letter specifying which Post Office branch to collect your BRP from.

Sticker on passport

Applicants will receive a sticker valid for 30 days placed into their passports instead of a “vignette” with the full grant of leave, and then receive letter detailing how they can collect their BRP after arriving in the country.

Applicants must collect their BRP from a post office within 10 days of their arrival, as the BRP card will prove their right to study, work and use public services across the UK.

It is important to have an accurate travel date in place before you apply. You will be granted a travel window of 30 days based on the information you provide in the application, and your temporary visa will be valid for only 30 days upon receipt.

If you become unable to travel during the 30-day time frame, you will need to apply for a replacement. If your travel date changes after receipt of your 30-day sticker, or if it expires before you travel, you will need to apply for a short-term vignette.

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