Biometrics

What "biometrics" actually means

In UK immigration, biometric information means two things: your fingerprints and a digital photograph of your face. Together these create a unique record tied to your application, so your identity can be checked and matched against Home Office records.

Providing biometrics is a standard part of most visa and immigration applications. Exactly when and how you give them is set out in the instructions for your specific application, so always follow the guidance you are sent rather than assuming one method applies to everyone.

The two ways you give biometrics

When you apply, you will be told which of two methods to use. Not everyone can use the app-based route, so the option offered depends on your circumstances and application type.

• The UK Immigration: ID Check app - a smartphone app that verifies your identity digitally. You scan your identity document, hold your phone against it so the app can read its chip, and scan your face and take a photo of yourself. If you use the app you do not need to send your passport away to be checked.
• A visa application centre (VAC) or, inside the UK, a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) point or Service and Support Centre - you attend an appointment in person to give your fingerprints and have your photograph taken, and you may also submit documents there.

Using the UK Immigration: ID Check app

The app checks that your identity document is genuine and that it belongs to you. In practice you connect the app to your online application (by scanning a QR code or entering a code), photograph your identity document, place your phone on the document so it can read the biometric chip, then scan your face and take a selfie that meets set requirements (plain background, looking straight at the camera, head and shoulders visible).

Note that the app captures your facial image and reads your document chip, but it does not take your fingerprints. It is available on Android phones running version 8.0 or later with NFC (contactless) capability, and on iPhone 7 or newer running iOS 15 or later. You also need at least a basic mobile data or internet connection and enough storage on the phone.

Giving biometrics at a visa application centre

If you cannot or are not asked to use the app, you book an appointment to attend a centre in person. There, staff take your fingerprints and photograph - this is where fingerprints are actually collected, since the app does not do this.

Many centres offer free appointments, often within a few working days. In some locations a standard appointment carries a fee - gov.uk quotes £76.50 for a standard appointment in some places at the time of writing. Because appointment types, availability and any fees vary by country and centre, check the booking details for your own location and treat the price as something to confirm at the point of booking.

From BRP cards to eVisas

Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) were the physical cards used to prove immigration status. They were issued to people granted permission to live or work in the UK on or before 31 October 2024. These cards have now been phased out and replaced by eVisas.

An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and your immigration status, including the conditions attached to it. It is not something you carry as a card - you view it online. This means that even though you still give biometrics when you apply, the outcome is a digital status rather than a plastic card.

Your UKVI account and eVisa

You access your eVisa through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. Setting up and using this account is free. Once your application is granted, your eVisa is created, and you use the UKVI account to view your status.

Through your account you can generate a "share code" to prove your status to others (such as an employer or landlord), and add your current passport or travel document details so your status is linked correctly when you travel. It is important to keep your account details up to date and to report anything that looks wrong in your record.

• Set up and sign in to your UKVI account (free).
• View your eVisa - your digital immigration status.
• Generate a share code to prove your status when needed.
• Add or update your passport / travel document details.
• Report any errors in your record.

What if you still hold a physical document

If you still have an expired BRP, it can be used for limited purposes - such as signing in to or creating your UKVI account and applying to extend your stay - for up to 24 months after it expired or until 31 December 2026, whichever is sooner. It is not a substitute for setting up your eVisa access.

Some other physical documents behave differently: a Biometric Residence Card (BRC) may still be usable in certain situations, and a visa vignette (the sticker in a passport) remains valid until its own expiry date. If you fail to report a lost or stolen BRP you can be fined up to £1,000 and required to leave the UK, so report any loss promptly.