The Use of Expired Biometric Residence Permits and Cards for DBS checks.

The Home Office are phasing out Biometric Residence Permits BRPs and Biometric Cards BRCs and replacing them with online e-visas which can be accessed using the Home Office View and Prove page. This page uses a share code system and the online evidence of immigration status can be used as a primary document under the DBS ID verification guidance. These are already listed in the primary documents section of the DBS identity checking guidance.

While people transition to the online e-visa, DBS will accept some BRPs and BRCs as part of the ID verification process. In the case of BRPs, there are two types of BRP. One shows limited leave to enter or remain which expires when the BRP expires, and the other shows indefinite leave to remain/enter or ‘no time limit’ leave. The second type of BRP also has an expiry date but this is not related to the expiry of the applicants leave to remain in the UK.

The second type of BRP can be used for DBS ID purposes up to 18 months past the expiry of the BRP. DBS will be publishing refreshed manual ID guidance early in 2025 and the use of expired BRPs will be included in this. CBS our DBS Clearning House will communicate the updated ID Guidelines and we will publish this on our website.

All holders of BRC cards with valid immigration permission, normally in the form of pre-settled status or settled status will have an online eVisa, which should be used as a primary document under the DBS ID verification guidance.