Lost or Stolen UK Visa 2026: Complete eVisa Recovery Guide

Understanding Lost or Stolen UK Visa 2026 Recovery Procedures After eVisa Transition

Lost or stolen UK visa 2026 recovery procedures have transformed completely following the January 2025 transition from physical Biometric Residence Permits to digital eVisas. Understanding these updated processes proves essential for anyone who loses their immigration documents inside or outside the United Kingdom, as the traditional BRP replacement system no longer exists and different procedures now apply depending on location, document type, and ability to access online immigration status through UKVI accounts.

The Home Office ceased issuing new BRP cards from 31 October 2024, with all existing permits expiring by 31 December 2024 regardless of underlying visa validity. Since 2 June 2025, expired BRPs can no longer be used as evidence of permission to travel to the UK, making the transition to eVisas mandatory for anyone wishing to prove their immigration status. This fundamental shift means lost or stolen UK visa 2026 situations require different responses than historical guidance suggested, with digital recovery options replacing physical document replacement in most circumstances.

Over 4.3 million people had created UKVI accounts to access their eVisas by April 2025, demonstrating the scale of this digital transformation. For those who lose their immigration documents, the immediate priority becomes accessing their digital immigration status rather than obtaining replacement physical documents. Professional guidance becomes particularly valuable when navigating complex scenarios involving overseas document loss, technical difficulties with UKVI accounts, or situations where individuals cannot access their eVisa through standard procedures. Understanding the broader context of UK settlement routes and visa status preservation helps ensure document loss does not jeopardise long-term immigration goals.

The 2025 eVisa Transition and What It Means for Lost Documents

The transition from physical immigration documents to digital eVisas represents the most significant change to UK immigration status verification since the introduction of BRPs. Understanding this transition proves essential for anyone dealing with lost or stolen UK visa 2026 situations, as the recovery process fundamentally differs from previous procedures that focused on obtaining replacement physical documents.

An eVisa is a digital record of immigration status accessed through a UK Visas and Immigration account. Unlike physical documents that could be lost, stolen, or damaged, eVisas exist permanently within the Home Office digital system and can be accessed from any device with internet connectivity. This fundamental advantage means that losing your physical BRP or passport containing a visa vignette no longer necessarily prevents you from proving your immigration status, provided you can access your UKVI account.

Key Timeline of the eVisa Transition

The critical implication of this transition is that physical document loss no longer necessarily creates an immigration crisis. If you have previously created a UKVI account and linked your passport to your eVisa, you can continue to prove your immigration status even without your BRP or passport containing a vignette. However, you must still report the loss and take steps to ensure your identity is not misused.

Lost or Stolen Documents Inside the UK: Step-by-Step Recovery

The response to lost or stolen UK visa 2026 situations inside the UK has simplified significantly compared to previous years when BRP replacement applications were required. The primary focus now shifts to accessing your digital immigration status rather than obtaining physical replacement documents. However, certain mandatory reporting requirements remain in place regardless of the digital transition.

Immediate Steps Following Document Loss Inside the UK

• Report to Police: File a report with local police immediately, obtaining a crime reference number that may be required for future applications or investigations
• Report to UKVI: Report lost or stolen BRP through the official government reporting service within 3 months to avoid penalties up to £1,000
• Access Your eVisa: Sign into your existing UKVI account or create a new account using your passport and visa application reference number
• Replace Passport if Needed: Contact your national embassy or consulate if your passport was also lost or stolen, as you will need a valid travel document
• Update UKVI Account: Once you have a new passport, update your UKVI account to link the new document to your eVisa

The Home Office will contact you within one working day of reporting a lost or stolen BRP. Critically, once reported as lost or stolen, a BRP becomes invalid even if subsequently found. You must destroy any recovered BRP by cutting the card into pieces, as attempting to use a cancelled document constitutes an immigration offence. Your immigration status remains valid regardless of the physical document's status, provided you can access your eVisa.

Proving Your Right to Work and Rent After Document Loss

With your physical BRP lost, you can generate share codes from your UKVI account to prove your right to work and rent. These share codes remain valid for 90 days and can be provided to employers and landlords who can then verify your immigration status online. This represents a significant improvement over the previous system where document loss could create weeks of employment and housing uncertainty while awaiting replacement BRPs.

Lost or Stolen Documents Outside the UK: Re-Entry Procedures

Lost or stolen UK visa 2026 situations occurring outside the United Kingdom require more complex procedures than domestic losses, as physical documents or digital access become necessary for re-entry. The appropriate response depends on whether you can access your eVisa and whether your passport was also lost alongside your BRP or immigration documents.

If You Can Access Your eVisa

For those who previously created a UKVI account and can access their eVisa from abroad, re-entry to the UK remains straightforward even without physical immigration documents. You must ensure your current passport is linked to your UKVI account, generate a share code before travelling (valid for 90 days), and travel with your passport that is registered to your eVisa. Airlines and carriers may request your share code or verify your immigration status directly with the Home Office.

If You Cannot Access Your eVisa

Those unable to access their eVisa face additional requirements. You must first obtain a replacement passport from your national embassy or consulate if your passport was lost alongside other documents. Once you have a valid passport, you must apply for a single entry visa (vignette transfer) to re-enter the UK. This application costs £154 and requires attendance at a visa application centre to provide biometric information. Processing typically takes 3 weeks, with the resulting visa valid for one month allowing single entry to the UK.

Emergency Situations and Priority Processing

The Home Office operates a 24/7 passenger support helpline (0800 876 6921 from UK, 0203 337 0927 from abroad) to assist with urgent eVisa issues affecting travel. This service can help resolve technical difficulties, verify immigration status for carriers, and provide guidance on emergency procedures. For those facing genuine emergencies abroad, some visa application centres offer priority processing for single entry visas, though availability varies by location.

Creating Your UKVI Account and Accessing Your eVisa

Creating a UKVI account proves essential for anyone who has lost their physical immigration documents, as this provides the gateway to accessing digital proof of immigration status. The account creation process requires specific documentation and involves identity verification through a smartphone application.

Requirements for UKVI Account Creation

• Valid Identity Document: Passport or other travel document with biometric chip for identity verification through the UK Immigration: ID Check app
• Visa Application Reference: Global Web Form (GWF) number or Unique Application Number (UAN) from your original visa application decision
• Email Address and Phone Number: Required for account security and receiving verification codes when signing in
• Smartphone Access: Required to install the identity verification app and complete biometric confirmation
• BRP Number (if available): Your original BRP number can also be used to create your UKVI account even though the card has expired

For those who have lost their BRP and cannot locate their visa application reference number, the Home Office has created provisions allowing account creation using alternative identification methods. Those granted permission before 31 October 2024 who do not have valid identity documents can still create UKVI accounts and will be guided through alternative identity verification processes.

Account Creation Process

The process begins at the official government eVisa portal where you provide basic information and identity document details. You then download the UK Immigration: ID Check app to your smartphone, use the app to scan your identity document and take a photograph of your face for matching, complete a short application form linking your account to your immigration status, and receive email confirmation within a few days once your eVisa becomes available to access.

Special Situations: ILR Holders and EU Settlement Scheme Status

Individuals with Indefinite Leave to Remain or EU Settlement Scheme status face specific considerations when their documents are lost or stolen. The procedures vary depending on how your settled status was originally documented and whether you have already transitioned to digital status.

Indefinite Leave to Remain Holders

Those with ILR proven through ink stamps or vignettes in passports (rather than BRPs) who lose these documents must make a No Time Limit (NTL) application to obtain digital confirmation of their status. This application creates an eVisa rather than issuing a replacement physical document. Understanding how document loss affects your pathway to settlement and citizenship ensures you take appropriate steps to preserve your immigration history. The NTL process applies when your passport containing your status has been lost, stolen, or expired, or when you have ILR but no documentary evidence confirming this. Those who were settled in the UK on 1 January 1973 or arrived before 1988 may be eligible for evidence of status under the Windrush Scheme instead.

EU Settlement Scheme Holders

Individuals granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme already have digital status and do not need to take action to obtain an eVisa, as their status was granted digitally from the outset. Details for accessing digital status appear in the original grant letter or email from UKVI. Those with Biometric Residence Cards under EUSS should already have UKVI account access and can generate share codes to prove their status even if the physical card is lost. Since 2 June 2025, BRCs can no longer be used for travel to the UK, making eVisa access essential for European nationals with settled or pre-settled status.

Students and Workers: Notifying Sponsors

Students and sponsored workers who lose their immigration documents must notify their educational institution or employer promptly, as sponsors have compliance obligations regarding employee and student immigration status. Universities typically have dedicated immigration compliance teams who can provide guidance and may be able to facilitate expedited procedures. Any complications arising from document loss that affect visa status should be addressed promptly, with visa refusal solicitors available to assist with challenging adverse decisions. Employers must verify right to work through the online checking service using share codes, making UKVI account access essential for maintaining employment during document replacement periods.